Etisalat recently recognized as the fastest mobile network in MENA region
Telecom services operator Etisalat already made headlines for completing the first end-to-end standalone 5G call in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region back in October. Now, the company is back in the spotlight after achieving over 3.1 Gbps download throughput over its 5G standalone (SA) network, a global milestone.
According to a statement from Etisalat, the major advantage of standalone 5G will be seen in the enterprise space, because without the need to access the 5G network first from the 4G LTE network, lower latencies can be achieved. The statement also added that network slicing becomes possible on a standalone 5G network.
The tests were performed using 200 MHz of spectrum with a mobile smartphone capable of 5G SA operation. The company’s first 5G SA call was conducted at 3.5 GHz spectrum with 100 megahertz of spectrum.
Saeed Alzarouni, senior VP, Mobile Network, commented, “Etisalat continuously endeavors to achieve a network capable of delivering beyond customer expectations. Today’s landmark announcement sets a new benchmark in the telecom industry, a testimony to our continuous efforts in building a network that will enable innovation and accelerate digital transformation.”
A few days ago, Etisalat was officially recognized by Ookla as the fastest mobile network in MENA region and fastest broadband network in the GCC, Africa and Arabian region in 2019.
“The latest Ookla results highlights Etisalat’s achievements in both mobile and fixed networks in MENA and the GCC, Africa and Arabian region, respectively,” Ookla CEO and co-founder Doug Suttles said. “This has positioned UAE among the top five fastest countries in the world for mobile according to the Speedtest Global Index in October this year. Additionally, Etisalat was also ranked on a global level among the top 10 most improved fixed broadband networks comparing Q3 2018 to Q3 2019.”
