Egypt Completes Africa’s First 6GHz Mobile Services Trial

Egypt has completed Africa’s first trial of mobile services using the 6 GHz band (U6GHz), marking a significant step in the country’s efforts to prepare its telecommunications infrastructure for next-generation mobile technologies.

The trial was conducted by Egypt’s National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA)  in collaboration with Telecom Egypt and Huawei, as part of the country’s broader digital transformation strategy and efforts to strengthen its position as a regional ICT leader.

The test involved the operation of what the partners described as Africa’s first mobile base station using the 6 GHz band, followed by the first data call conducted over the spectrum.

The trial achieved data speeds of approximately 1.7 Gbps per user, demonstrating the band’s potential to deliver higher speeds, increase network capacity and improve service quality, particularly in high-traffic areas.

The 6 GHz spectrum is among the frequency ranges being considered globally for high-capacity mobile services and is expected to play a role in the evolution of 5G and future connectivity technologies.

NTRA said the trial forms part of its efforts to evaluate emerging global technologies and ensure the efficient use of spectrum as a strategic national resource.

The regulator also highlighted the potential of the 6 GHz band to support data-intensive applications including artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), virtual and augmented reality, and cloud computing.

According to NTRA, the technology could contribute to Egypt’s digital transformation, strengthen the competitiveness of its economy and support its ambition to become a regional hub for digital infrastructure and telecommunications under Egypt Vision 2030.

NTRA Executive President Eng. Mohamed Shamroukh said the 6 GHz band has been identified as one of the strategic frequency ranges in Egypt’s long-term national spectrum plan for 2030–2035, which is currently being prepared.

He said the successful trial provides an important opportunity to assess the band’s capabilities for high-capacity mobile services and supports efforts to optimise spectrum utilisation while advancing Egypt’s ICT infrastructure and digital economy.