du, a leading UAE telecom and digital services provider, has deployed the world’s first 5G-Advanced (5G-A) services over the L-Band (1.4 GHz) spectrum in a commercial network, marking a milestone in the evolution of next-generation mobile connectivity.
The deployment strengthens du’s position in advanced network innovation and expands its 5G-Advanced capabilities by integrating the L-Band spectrum into its commercial network. According to the company, the move enhances spectrum efficiency, increases network capacity and improves connectivity performance for customers across the UAE.
The L-Band (1.4 GHz) spectrum offers a balance between wide-area coverage and network capacity. Its propagation characteristics enable stronger indoor coverage, broader geographic reach and more consistent signal performance across urban, suburban and indoor environments. The deployment is also expected to improve uplink performance, supporting a better user experience.
du said the commercial implementation demonstrates the role of L-Band as a complementary layer within its multi-band 5G-Advanced strategy. The spectrum addition is designed to strengthen network resilience, improve load balancing across spectrum layers and enhance capacity during periods of high traffic demand.
The deployment forms part of du’s broader strategy to advance radio technologies and spectrum innovation to support emerging applications, including enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), fixed wireless access (FWA), massive Internet of Things (IoT) deployments and future AI-driven digital services.
The company’s 5G-Advanced platform is intended to support next-generation capabilities such as ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC) and massive machine-type communications (mMTC), which are expected to play a role in the development of smart cities, connected industries and digital infrastructure aligned with the UAE’s digital transformation objectives.
Saleem AlBlooshi Chief Technology Officer – du
“At du, we are committed to setting new benchmarks in network quality and service excellence. The successful deployment of 5G-Advanced services is a proud global first for du and a testament to the ingenuity of our network teams. The L-Band spectrum initiative reflects our commitment to innovation and our continuous efforts to maximize spectrum resources to deliver superior connectivity experiences for our customers.”
du stated that the milestone was achieved with the support of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), which has facilitated strategic spectrum access for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) services as part of efforts to strengthen the UAE’s position in telecommunications and ICT innovation.
The telecom operator said it will continue to invest in advanced technologies to expand network capabilities, improve customer experience, enhance operational efficiency and support sustainability goals while delivering digital services across the UAE.
