du said that the new facility will concentrate on exploring the commercial potential of 5G-Advanced technology
Emirati-based operator du has inaugurated the so-called du Innovation Center, an initiative focused on leveraging advanced technologies such as 5G and artificial intelligence (AI) to develop practical solutions for both consumer and enterprise applications.
This new center, located in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), aims to strengthen the country’s position as a regional hub for technological innovation, particularly in the deployment of next-generation networks and services, the telco said.
The new facility will concentrate on exploring the commercial potential of 5G-Advanced technology. Areas of focus include the integration of AI, advancements in Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), extended reality (XR), open network systems and business-to-business (B2B) applications. By fostering these developments, du seeks to deliver practical tools and services that enhance experiences across a variety of sectors.
For consumers, the initiative promises improvements in live streaming, online gaming, and remote work solutions through faster uplink speeds, optimized performance and reduced latency. Upgrades to Fixed Wireless Networks are expected to provide gigabit-level speeds, improving video streaming and gaming experiences. AI-enabled tools, such as remote gaming access, aim to further refine performance and connectivity for end users, the Arab telco added.
In the enterprise space, du’s new innovation center will focus on delivering high-performance network solutions. These include dedicated 5G-A connections, smart networks and mobile private networks tailored to business-critical applications like smart manufacturing, collaborative work environments and logistics optimization. Emerging services under development include AI-driven solutions such as digital humans and virtual assistants, designed to support businesses in enhancing their operational efficiency, according to du.
du is currently in the process of deploying 5G-A technology in Dubai as part of its national rollout program, Hasan Alshemeili, the telco’s head of infra technology planning, recently said during a keynote session at Huawei’s Global Mobile Broadband Forum 2024 (MBBF 2024), which took place in October in Istanbul, Turkey.
The executive noted that du has already deployed hundreds of 5G-A base stations while its plans for the whole country stipulate the deployment of thousands of base stations.
The executive did not provide a timeline for 5G-A deployment in the UAE. However, du previously stated that its 5G-Advanced strategy includes the deployment of this technology in the main cities across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) next year and achieving national coverage by 2026.
Du had carried out 5G-A trials in October 2023, which paved the way for the initial commercial launch of the technology in January 2024.
The Arab carrier is already working on the next generation of Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) technology using 5G-A. In this field, du aims to reach a market share of 40% within the next three years, which compares with a current market share of 34%, according to a previous report.
du had initially launched 5G services in 2019 and 5G SA technology in 2023.
The Arab telco had previously signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Huawei to boost 5G-A technology in the UAE. The project, dubbed “5G-A Country”, seeks to accelerate the digital transformation of the Arab country, according to Huawei.
