Arab Finance: Egypt has completed Africa’s first trial of mobile services using the upper 6 GHz (U6GHz) frequency band, recording data speeds of approximately 1.7 gigabits per second for users, as per a statement.

The National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Egypt (NTRA) conducted the trial in cooperation with Telecom Egypt and Huawei, making Egypt the first African country to successfully test the frequency band for mobile communications services.

The trial involved activating Africa’s first mobile base station operating on the 6 GHz band and completing the continent’s first data call over the spectrum. The band is among the latest frequency ranges being considered globally to support high-capacity mobile services alongside developments in fifth-generation (5G) and next-generation communications technologies.

According to NTRA, the speeds recorded during the trial demonstrate the band’s potential to increase network capacity, improve service quality, and deliver faster connectivity, particularly in areas with high network traffic.

The 6 GHz band could also support data-intensive applications, including artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), virtual and augmented reality, and cloud computing. These capabilities could serve individuals, businesses, and government entities while contributing to Egypt’s digital transformation and the objectives of Egypt Vision 2030.

The trial forms part of the regulator’s efforts to evaluate emerging technologies and assess the spectrum resources needed for the continued development of Egypt’s telecommunications networks. This is intended to support the efficient use of the frequency spectrum and prepare the Egyptian market to adopt future technologies.