In a major leap in the field of telecommunications, etisalat by e& proudly announced the successful commercial deployment and service readiness of 5G Stand-Alone (SA) technology for mobile users. This milestone achievement comes hot on the heels of their earlier success in launching 5G SA services for Fixed Wireless Users (FWA) at the beginning of 2023. With this announcement, etisalat by e& is firmly at the forefront of 5G technology in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), offering consumers access to a nationwide standalone network that promises seamless voice and data services across the country.
The significance of this move lies in the transition from previous 5G usage, where customers relied on a 5G radio access network layered on top of an existing 4G LTE network. With the introduction of 5G SA for mobile users, several key benefits emerge. These include higher uplink speeds, a noticeable boost in device battery life, faster network connectivity, and support for advanced applications, such as rich Voice over New Radio (VoNR) and Video over New Radio (ViNR) calling experiences.
Khalid Murshed, Chief Technology & Information Officer, etisalat by e&, expressed his enthusiasm for this groundbreaking achievement, emphasising the importance of delivering end-to-end 5G solutions to UAE customers.
“This is a significant milestone as we look to deliver end-to-end 5G solutions in UAE, providing our customers with the latest in digital innovations, superior experience and laying the foundation for the next generation of technologies on the network. The 5G Standalone network will allow us to offer our customers the latest in high-speed and low-latency connectivity. We are proud to be leading the way in 5G technology and are committed to continue our efforts to provide the best services in industry,” he said.
The introduction of 5G SA technology is expected to accelerate service delivery and innovation cycles, thanks to its software-based service model and agile continuous deployment approach. The low latency capabilities of 5G SA open the doors to an array of new possibilities, including low-latency gaming, augmented and virtual reality applications, and enhancements for numerous enterprise use cases, particularly those reliant on constant and massive connections, such as the Internet of Things (IoT).
Furthermore, the 5G SA network’s capability to enable network slicing offers a truly customised experience, allowing the network to be “sliced” into virtual segments that cater to specific use cases or user groups. This flexibility enables the same network infrastructure to support a wide range of service types, including differing latency, throughput, capacity, and reliability requirements.
etisalat by e&’s 5G SA core network now includes edge computing, network slicing, 3GPP SA guided network orchestration, and service-based architecture. This transition from 5G SA Fixed Wireless Access (5G SA FWA) to 5G SA for Mobile Users marks the beginning of a new era for 5G SA commercial use cases while promising an improved Quality of Experience (QoE) for consumers.
With 5G SA’s foundation in Service-Based Architecture (SBA) and its incorporation of features such as network exposure, slicing, edge computing, and orchestration, it is set to drive innovation across various industries. The amalgamation of 5G SA with emerging technologies like cloud, network slicing, edge computing, and artificial intelligence (AI) presents a promising future for innovative applications and solutions across the enterprise and consumer sectors, spanning manufacturing, healthcare, real-time surveillance, and beyond.
etisalat by e& is all set to showcase its technological prowess at GITEX Global, taking place from October 16th to 20th. This event serves as a testament to their commitment to spearheading 5G technology and delivering on the promises of connectivity and innovation in the digital age.
