The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has revealed that the country’s 2G networks will be shut down at the end of 2022, with spectrum to be repurposed to support 5G services. The regulator adds that support will be provided to groups affected by the planned 2G shutdown. The country’s two mobile network operators (MNOs) – Etisalat and Du – launched mobile 5G services in mid-2019.
Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, the head of the TRA, said: ‘Mobile technology is one of the main drivers of innovation in the business world, and telecom companies must constantly develop their networks to keep pace with the rapid and continuous developments in the telecom sector. Today, we are on the threshold of a new era characterised by comprehensive digital transformation, IoT and smart cities, where a faster, stronger and more capable network is needed to withstand the communication between vast numbers of devices.’