Egypt conducts first African trial of 6 GHz mobile band – NTRA

Egypt has successfully tested the 6 GHz frequency band for mobile services, becoming the first country in Africa to conduct such a trial as it explores additional spectrum to support higher-capacity networks, the country’s telecom regulator said on Tuesday.

The National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) said that it conducted the trial in cooperation with Telecom Egypt and Huawei. The trial involved operating what the regulator described as Africa’s first mobile base station using the 6 GHz band, as well as completing the first data call over the spectrum.

Data speeds of about 1.7 gigabits per second per user were achieved during the test, highlighting the band’s potential to increase network capacity and improve service quality, particularly in densely populated and high-traffic areas.

The 6 GHz band is among the frequency ranges being considered globally for high-capacity mobile services and next-generation technologies as countries expand 5G networks, the NTRA said.

NTRA Executive President Mohamed Shamroukh said the 6 GHz band is included in Egypt’s long-term national spectrum plan for 2030-2035, which is currently being prepared.

The trial will help the regulator assess the band’s ability to support high-capacity mobile services and determine how it can be used efficiently as a strategic national resource, Shamroukh said.

The NTRA said the technology could support data-intensive applications including artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), virtual and augmented reality, and cloud computing, as Egypt seeks to accelerate digital transformation and strengthen its position as a regional telecommunications and digital infrastructure hub.

The trial forms part of the regulator’s efforts to evaluate emerging technologies and improve the use of spectrum resources as Egypt prepares for future communications technologies, the NTRA said.