During the second day of the 17th Telecom Review Leaders’ Summit, Marwan Bin Shakar, SVP, Access Network Development, etisalat by e&, delivered the opening keynote about harnessing the power of 5G technology and beyond.
Marwan shared some impressive statistics that support the UAE’s standing in the telecom market— first in mobile and fourth in fixed broadband (FTTH). These embody the technological leadership that etisalat by e& has as the leading operator in the region, and globally.
5G Journey
Pioneering this feat, Etisalat UAE was the first operator in the MENA region to launch 5G to consumers in 2019. Between 2021 and 2022, Etisalat UAE furthered its efforts in establishing its 5G SA and VoNR readiness. In 2023, the company had its first private network commercial launch and 5G slicing live network testing.
etisalat by e& was the first telco in the UAE to launch its 5G SA network and, during GITEX 2023, it announced the world’s fastest 5G SA download speed at 13.2 Gbps. In 2024 and beyond, the telco will continue working on 5G Advanced network and dynamic slicing.
5G Commercial Use Cases
Years after deploying 5G, etisalat by e&’s 5G commercial use cases in home wireless and business have grown extensively. Both B2B and B2C customers experience the best digital experience with flexible packages, 5G private mobile edge, 5G wireless lines, and 5G private campus offerings.
“We are enabling advanced use cases for diverse verticals to realize the full potential of 5G… And 3GPP is driving the 5G technological evolution,” said Bin Shakar.
Markets such as government and security, transport, healthcare, airline & logistics, oil & gas, and retail were highlighted by the executive in his presentation.
As per the 3GPP release timelines, Rel-18 will bring 5G to its fullest potential, with 5G Advanced already on the horizon. The second wave of 5G Advanced will be supported by Rel 19-20. RAN vendor readiness is anticipated by Q4 in 2025.
“etisalat by e& is stepping towards 5G Advanced with the activation of underlying technologies,” added Bin Shakar. On track towards Industry 4.0, the operator will empower the digital transformation of IIOT using 5G networks (private and hybrid) and accelerate monetization in use cases such as video surveillance and 5G leased line.
In the realm of 5G advancements, etisalat by e& is actively engaged in exploring new spectrum initiatives, including mmWave, 600MHz, and 6GHz. The company is conducting high-throughput field trials for 5G, aiming to achieve speeds of 13Gbps and 10Gbps. Additionally, etisalat is working on a 5G AI/ML management platform as part of its strategy to reach its ultimate goal by 2026.
“Together, we are set to succeed,” concluded Bin Shakar.
