du Deploys World’s First Six Carrier Aggregation on Commercial 5G Advanced Network in Strategic Partnership with Nokia
DUBAI — United Arab Emirates telecommunications provider du has deployed what it characterizes as the world’s first six carrier aggregation configuration on a commercial 5G Advanced network, joining six 5G New Radio component carriers across 420 MHz of spectrum in strategic technology collaboration with Nokia.
The landmark network deployment unites both Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and Time Division Duplex (TDD) spectrum allocations spanning the 3.6 GHz, 2.6 GHz, 2.1 GHz, 1.8 GHz, and 600 MHz frequency bands. Executed over du’s live commercial 5G Advanced Standalone core network under real world operating conditions, the multi band integration was validated using latest generation commercial mobile processors and compatible handsets. Nokia facilitated the deployment by utilizing its commercial Habrok massive MIMO radio systems, which maximize energy efficiency and spectral yield across dense macro transmission sites.
Carrier aggregation pools separate spectrum fragments into a single unified pipe, significantly expanding throughput capacity for connected client devices. By consolidating six discrete carriers, du expands its available peak capacity, delivering multi gigabit download speeds, lower latency, and consistent cell edge performance to accommodate escalating data usage driven by artificial intelligence workloads and cloud gaming platforms. Subscribers equipped with compatible smartphones will see a dedicated 5G+ badge when attached to the upgraded cell clusters.
Saleem AlBlooshi, Chief Technology Officer at du, emphasized that uniting six component carriers on a live commercial network constitutes a critical operational milestone in delivering next generation mobile experiences. AlBlooshi noted that the deployment optimizes du’s sovereign spectrum assets, elevates consumer capacity, and constructs the foundational network architecture necessary for the eventual transition toward 6G connectivity, aligning with the national telecom vision stewarded by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA).
Danial Mausoof, Vice President for Mobile Infrastructure Segment across Middle East and Africa at Nokia, underscored that advanced carrier aggregation remains essential for extracting peak theoretical performance from fragmented, non contiguous spectrum bands. Mausoof noted that the multi carrier achievement validates Nokia’s equipment readiness in fulfilling commercial grade throughput demands for mission critical and enterprise applications.
The milestone represents a major step in du’s planned migration toward comprehensive 5G Advanced, known colloquially as 5G+, which enhances base network efficiency and machine to machine communications, laying critical structural groundwork for the UAE’s broader long term 6G innovation roadmap.
