Egypt tests 6GHz mobile spectrum in an African first
Egypt is testing whether the 6GHz band can help its mobile networks handle more traffic. The National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA), Telecom Egypt and Huawei carried out the trial. The regulator says it is the first mobile trial of the band in Africa. The test used a 6GHz mobile base station. It reached speeds of
Egypt tests 6GHz mobile spectrum in an African first
Egypt is testing whether the 6GHz band can help its mobile networks handle more traffic. The National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA), Telecom Egypt and Huawei carried out the trial. The regulator says it is the first mobile trial of the band in Africa. The test used a 6GHz mobile base station. It reached speeds of about 1.7Gbps per user. This does not mean 6GHz mobile services are now available in Egypt. The country is still testing the technology and working out how the spectrum could be used.
Why 6GHz matters
Mobile networks need more capacity as people use more data. Operators can add more sites and upgrade equipment. They can also look for more spectrum. The upper 6GHz band could give them another option. Egypt tested the 6.425GHz to 7.125GHz range. If the band is later opened for mobile use, operators could use it in areas where networks are carrying heavy traffic. The 1.7Gbps result shows what the band can deliver during the trial. It does not mean every customer would get those speeds. A commercial network has many users sharing the available capacity. Coverage and network equipment would also affect the speeds customers receive.
Egypt is looking ahead
NTRA has included the upper 6GHz band in its spectrum planning for 2030 to 2035. There is no commercial rollout yet. The regulator still needs to decide how the spectrum should be allocated. It also needs to consider how it will work alongside other services using the band. This is already an issue in other markets. Some regulators are looking at 6GHz for mobile networks. Others are giving more of the band to Wi-Fi.
Egypt is already adding spectrum
The 6GHz trial comes as Egypt gives mobile operators more spectrum. Earlier this year, the country agreed to allocate an additional 410MHz to its four mobile operators. The deal was worth about $3.5 billion. The extra spectrum is intended to increase network capacity and support Egypt’s 5G rollout. The 6GHz trial is another part of that process. For operators, the question is fairly simple. As customers use more data, they need more room on the network. Egypt is now testing whether 6GHz can provide some of that room.
