du achieves world’s first commercial deployment of 5G-Advanced services over L-Band spectrum

Technology

du achieves world’s first commercial deployment of 5G-Advanced services over L-Band spectrum

du, the UAE’s telecommunications and digital services provider, has announced the world’s first commercial deployment of 5G-Advanced (5G-A) services over L-Band (1.4 GHz) spectrum, marking a significant advancement in next-generation connectivity and reinforcing the company’s leadership in network innovation.

The milestone strengthens du’s broader strategy to maximize spectrum efficiency and accelerate the evolution of advanced 5G infrastructure across the UAE, enabling improved network performance and supporting future digital services.

According to the company, integrating L-Band (1.4 GHz) into its commercial 5G-Advanced network enhances spectrum utilization, increases network capacity, and delivers a more stable and reliable customer experience.

The deployment introduces additional technical advantages through the unique characteristics of L-Band spectrum, which provides an effective balance between coverage reach and network capacity. Its propagation capabilities support stronger indoor signal penetration and broader geographic coverage, helping minimize connectivity gaps across urban, suburban, and indoor environments.

The enhancement is also expected to improve uplink performance, contributing to faster and more responsive user experiences while strengthening overall network consistency.

Commercial performance results demonstrated that L-Band acts as an effective complementary layer within du’s multi-band 5G-Advanced architecture, supporting improved load balancing, greater network resilience, and enhanced performance during periods of peak traffic demand.

Commenting on the achievement, Saleem AlBlooshi, Chief Technology Officer at du, said the deployment represents another major step in du’s commitment to advancing network quality and delivering superior digital experiences.

He stated that the successful rollout reflects the company’s continued focus on innovation and efficient spectrum utilization to meet growing connectivity demands while maintaining high service standards.

The deployment forms part of du’s wider roadmap for advancing radio technologies and spectrum innovation, enabling future applications including enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), fixed wireless access (FWA), massive Internet of Things (IoT), and AI-driven digital services.

du noted that its 5G-Advanced platform is designed to support emerging capabilities such as ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC) and massive machine-type communications (mMTC), technologies expected to accelerate the development of smart cities, connected industries, and fully digitized ecosystems.

The company said these advancements align closely with the UAE’s national digital transformation objectives and long-term connectivity ambitions.

du also acknowledged the role of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) in enabling strategic spectrum access for IMT services, describing the regulator’s support as instrumental in strengthening the UAE’s position as a global leader in telecommunications and ICT innovation.

Looking ahead, du reaffirmed its commitment to expanding network capabilities through advanced technologies aimed at improving customer experiences, increasing operational efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and delivering innovative digital services across the country.