• Talal Belhoul Al Falasi: This achievement coincides with our joyous fifty-third National Day.  It is in line with the directions of We the UAE Vision 2031, which stipulates moving from one milestone to another, and it also comes to constitute an actual translation of the spirit of leadership and excellence that characterized our national march towards creating the future
  • Majed Sultan al-Mesmar: The new development provides unprecedented speeds and ultra-fast response time, allowing the use of innovative and advanced applications such as hologram communication, virtual and augmented reality communications and others.  

UAE: In a move that reflects the UAE's leadership in the adoption of advanced technologies, especially in the telecommunications sector, the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) announced the launch of the fourth updated version of the National Frequency Plan, including the allocation of the 600 MHz and 6 GHz frequency bands for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) systems, and thus the UAE is one of the first countries in the world to take the initiative to allocate such bands to operators. This plan comes in the context of the practical implementation of the outcomes of the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-23), held in Dubai, UAE, in late 2023 with the participation of all countries of the world.

The actual operation of these new frequency bands is expected to begin between the years 2025 and 2026, which marks a quantum leap to secure the infrastructure of smart cities based on the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and other technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) that require high frequencies (HF) and super-fast speeds in data transfer and exchange. This new development will also pave the way for the development of 6G services expected starting 2030. In parallel, the UAE continues to work on the use of advanced 5G technologies within the 6 GHz band, achieving a data transfer speed of up to 10 Gbps.

A translation of the spirit of entrepreneurship

His Excellency Talal Belhoul Al Falasi, Chairman of TDRA’s Board of Directors, commended this progress, saying: "The adoption of the 600 MHz and 6 GHz frequency bands for IMT services is a feat that coincides with our joy of Union Day 53.  It is in line with the pillars of our national vision “We the UAE 2031”, which provides for moving from one milestone to another, and comes as an actual translation of the spirit of leadership and excellence that characterized our national march, which aims to create a brighter future according to a roadmap laid out by our wise leadership, and implemented by compatriots with their creative minds and determination to enhance the leadership of our beloved nation in communications, the key engine for development in various sectors. The importance of this step lies in the meanings of proactivity and forward thinking that lay the foundation for the coming years of modernization and evolution in light of the dramatic acceleration that characterizes our times.”

Shaping the future of telecommunications

For his part, TDRA's Director-General H.E. Eng. Majed Sultan Al Mesmar pointed out the importance of this millstone in setting the stage for the next phase, saying: "We have learned from our wise leadership that real preparation for the future is to contribute to its creation and making. In line with this approach, TDRA is working to anticipate the present needs in the range of frequencies providing the spectrum infrastructure required for all sectors of future cities and metropolises. The adoption of the new bands would provide the quantum leap needed to ensures that the UAE, which has always been ahead, will maintain this pioneer ship for years to come. 6G technologies represent a paradigm shift in the world of technology, as they provide blazing-fast data speeds in the terabit level, a response time (latency) of less than a millisecond, and improved networking through artificial intelligence. It will also incorporate joint communication and sensing technologies, enabling innovative applications such as real-time hologram connectivity, virtual and augmented reality, smart cities, as well as large-scale integration of the Internet of Things .These advancements will enhance the country's readiness to lead the global digital transformation.”

This step comes within the framework of the UAE's strategic vision to build a knowledge-based economy that relies on innovation and technology, and supports the nation's aspirations in transitioning to a global hub for ICT.

About TDRA:

The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) is tasked with supervising the telecommunications and digital government sectors in the UAE according to the Telecom Law issued by Decree-Law No. (3) of 2003 (as amended) and Decree No. (23) issued on September 27, 2020, Amending Some Provisions of Decree-Law No. (3) of 2003 on the Regulation of the Telecommunications Sector, and adding “Digital Government” to the functions and name of the Authority. TDRA’s regulatory role is to ensure the delivery of premium telecom services, develop the industry, look after the interests of parties, implement relevant policy and regulatory frameworks, develop human resources, and promote R&D, thereby ensuring the UAE a leading regional and global standing in the sector. In the area of enabling digital transformation, TDRA is responsible for overseeing the UAE federal Digital Government (DGOV) under Law No. (3) of 2011. Since then, TDRA has been responsible for digital transformation at the national level through two strategic objectives: promoting a smart lifestyle, and leadership in the digital infrastructure of UAE.