e& UAE claims first commercial U6GHz Giga-MIMO network launch
e& UAE has commercially activated a mobile network operating on Upper 6GHz (U6GHz) spectrum, combined with 256-transceiver Giga-MIMO antenna technology. The operator describes the deployment as the first of its kind to enter live commercial service globally, building on its existing 5.5G infrastructure without requiring a separate network overlay.
The network uses the 6425–6775 MHz portion of the 3GPP n104 band, providing up to 350 MHz of contiguous bandwidth. Antenna capacity per site is significantly higher than conventional 64TRX 5G deployments: the 256TRX configuration supports sharper, more precise beamforming, which the operator says overcomes propagation constraints typically associated with higher frequency bands and achieves coverage comparable to existing C-band (3.5 GHz) infrastructure. Single-user peak throughput is quoted at 10 Gbps downlink and 1 Gbps uplink, with single-cell aggregate capacity said to exceed 50 Gbps using commercial TDD spectrum.
Technical and policy context
Marwan Bin Shakar, Chief Technology Officer at e& UAE, said: "The commercial activation of U6GHz 256TRX Giga-MIMO marks a defining milestone in e& UAE's network evolution. We have moved from technical validation to a live commercial reality that significantly elevates the 5G-Advanced experience for our customers today, while operationalising the native architecture needed for 6G."
The deployment is framed as a direct contribution to the UAE's national 6G roadmap, which is being overseen by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA). The company positions the activation as aligned with IMT-2030, the ITU's framework that will underpin formal 6G standardisation. Global 3GPP standardisation for 6G is not expected to conclude before the early 2030s, meaning e& UAE's launch sits at the frontier of 5G-Advanced rather than certified 6G, a distinction that matters for enterprise buyers evaluating capability claims.
Use cases cited by the operator include AI-native network operations, extended reality (XR) applications, autonomous industrial systems and smart-city infrastructure. The company has not named a commercial customer, disclosed handset or device ecosystem availability for the U6GHz band, or published independent benchmark results validating the throughput figures.
Market landscape
The Upper 6GHz band has attracted significant international attention as a candidate mid-band layer for next-generation networks. The United States, China, Saudi Arabia and several European regulators are actively consulting on its allocation, though commercial licensing timelines vary. If the e& UAE claim of first commercial deployment holds, it gives the Gulf operator a reputational and operational advantage in demonstrating deployment methodology ahead of markets where spectrum is still being licensed.
Among equipment vendors, Huawei is the primary supplier of Giga-MIMO technology in the Gulf region, though e& UAE's release does not name a radio access network partner for this deployment. Nokia and Ericsson are also developing high-TRX antenna systems for the U6GHz range, and competition in the segment is intensifying as spectrum awards approach in larger markets.
For enterprise and infrastructure buyers, the more immediate question is device support. The U6GHz band requires new RF front-end components in handsets, meaning mass-market throughput gains remain contingent on chipset and handset roadmaps from Qualcomm, MediaTek and device OEMs. e& UAE has not indicated when a broad device ecosystem will support the band commercially.
The operator's ability to validate end-to-end deployment experience in a live environment before larger markets activate the band could inform network-design decisions internationally, provided independent performance data is published.