By James Calloway

Du has activated a commercial mobile network in the upper 6 GHz band in the United Arab Emirates, putting the contested mid-band spectrum in front of paying subscribers for what appears to be the first time in the Middle East. Trade publication Telecompaper reported the launch.

The operator is Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company, trading as Du, the UAE's number-two mobile carrier by subscribers. The activation targets the upper reach of the 6 GHz range, conventionally defined as 6425 to 7125 MHz, a slice of spectrum most national regulators around the world have refused to allocate while they argue whether it should host 5G, the next generation, or Wi-Fi 7.

What does the launch change for UAE subscribers?

Adding upper 6 GHz gives Du another mid-band lane for capacity relief during evening congestion, when streaming and gaming traffic peak in dense neighbourhoods. The propagation profile of upper 6 GHz sits between dense-urban C-band and the longer reach of low-band frequencies, and operators that secure wide, contiguous blocks in this range typically report sharp throughput gains per cell. Du has disclosed no cell counts, subscriber activations, or peak speed measurements tied to the new band.

What does the activation mean for the region?

The launch positions the UAE ahead of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain, all of which have signalled interest in upper 6 GHz without announcing commercial deployments. The Gulf's faster regulatory tempo on mid-band policy has become a recurring theme since 2023, when regional authorities moved earlier than European counterparts on C-band refarming. Du's announcement extends that pattern.

Where does the global spectrum fight stand?

The lower 6 GHz slice, 5925 to 6425 MHz, has been opened to Wi-Fi 6E in more than sixty jurisdictions. The upper reach, where Du is now transmitting, was the main topic at the International Telecommunication Union's World Radiocommunication Conference in late 2023, where the body declined to harmonize the band for International Mobile Telecommunications and left the decision to national authorities. By beginning commercial service, the UAE's Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority has effectively aligned with the licensed-mobile camp rather than the unlicensed-Wi-Fi camp, a signal other Gulf regulators are likely to weigh when finalising their own filings.

What about device support?

Equipment suppliers with upper-6 GHz radio units on their price lists now have a live commercial reference in the Gulf. The constraint on near-term monetisation will not be infrastructure. It will be handsets. Few consumer smartphones sold today include upper-6 GHz receivers, and the major Android vendors, along with Apple, have not standardised support for the band. Du's new capacity will likely carry small traffic volumes until the device base catches up through 2025 and 2026.

What about the rival?

E&, the rebranded former Etisalat unit that remains Du's only national competitor, has not announced a matching activation. Operators outside the Gulf watching the band, including Saudi Arabia's Communications, Space and Technology Commission, the European Commission, and Ofcom in Britain, now have a real-world data point against which to assess upper-6 GHz mobile service in commercial practice.

What comes next?

Watch the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority for a formal licence award and any associated coverage obligations, which would convert the present interim arrangement into a durable spectrum right. The next concrete milestone sits at the World Radiocommunication Conference in 2027, where the upper-6 GHz question is expected to return for another attempt at international harmonisation.