Etisalat records world's fastest live trial of 5G

dubai - 5G will be rolled out in the UAE by 2020

The evolution of high-speed mobile broadband services - 5G - which is to be rolled out in the UAE by 2020, marked a new milestone at Gitex Technology Week.

On Sunday, telecom operator etisalat announced its fastest 5G live trial reaching 71Gbps, setting a global record in the industry.

Etisalat's new technological milestone includes the live trial of a remarkable download speed of over 70Gbps achieved over a 'pre-commercial' 5G site, operating over e-band using 2Ghz of bandwidth.

The telecom operator said the latest trial ensures its pioneering position as the region's first to develop the next-gen network for its customers in the lead up to 5G deployment in the UAE by 2020.

Saeed AlZarouni, senior vice-president, mobile network, etisalat said the telco's investments in the future would play a key role in bringing growth and innovation in the country and lay the foundation for smart city development.

"This has given us the lead in network and the first to launch every new technology and service to customers in the telecom industry. Our field test today at Gitex Technology Week is a significant step in validating the performance of 5G in high frequency band. 5G technologies and network will deliver capacity and connectivity along with opportunities for economic growth, education, healthcare, transportation and more."

The impact of 5G on the mobile industry and its customers will be profound. 5G networks will adapt to applications and performance will be tailored to the needs of the user, according to experts.

5G is all about the ability to access applications from any platform, anytime, anywhere. It is the next step in the evolution of high-speed mobile broadband services, shaping the environment for the growing Internet of Thing and smart cities to become a way of life for end-users.

In other words, the vision of 5G is that not only would people be connected to each other but so will machines, automobiles, city infrastructure, public safety and more. 5G networks are also expected to have always-on capabilities and be energy-efficient, all of which will likely require new protocols and access technologies.

For instance, driverless cars may need 5G to really kick into action. The first generation of driverless cars will be self-contained, but future generations will interact with other cars and smart roads to improve safety and manage traffic.

Set to arrive within the next three years, 5G could account for as many as 1.1 billion connections by 2025. By then, 5G networks are likely to cover one third of the world's population.

Etisalat is also showcasing the use of 5G in healthcare, 4K video, ultra high quality video and face recognition. 5G robotic surgery showcases mission critical cases remotely managed using the robustness of 5G along with augmented/virtual reality and tactile interaction.

Visitors can also witness the ultra-high resolution video experience such as 4K video and 4K virtual reality live over pre-commercial 5G site operating over C-band (3.5Ghz). This ultra-high resolution is possible with 5G as it enhances mobile broadband with high throughput and provides virtual reality experience with ultra-low latency. This can be used in the near future in video calling and conference, augmented reality and CCTV on roads with ultra-high resolution cameras.

Also on display at the etisalat stand is the ultra high quality video over 5G through a 360-degree camera that is mounted at the stand and streams live footage over a 5G network to a virtual reality in the demo area.

- issacjohn@khaleejtimes.com