Etisalat introduces faster smartphone uploads on 5.5G network
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Etisalat UAE has commercially introduced technology that it says can triple smartphone upload speeds on its 5.5G network, targeting growing demand from artificial intelligence applications and high-resolution content sharing. The operator announced on Monday that it had deployed 2×2 uplink multiple-input multiple-output, or MIMO, alongside carrier aggregation for…
UAE telecommunications provider Etisalat has launched a faster 5.5G network capable of tripling smartphone upload speeds, according to the company. The enhanced upload capability is targeting growing demand for artificial intelligence applications and high-resolution content sharing. Etisalat unveiled the deployment of 2x2 uplink multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology, combined with carrier aggregation, marking the first commercial use of this combination globally.
The upgraded system allows supported smartphones to transmit two separate data streams simultaneously, utilizing capacity across different radio frequency bands. This enhancement could deliver upload speeds up to three times faster than the current standard, although the company did not specify which models of smartphones are eligible or the exact upload speeds available.
Etisalat's chief technology officer, Marwan Bin Shakar, highlighted the shift in smartphone usage from primarily consuming online content to creating and transmitting information. He explained that this change is influencing the demands placed on mobile networks, emphasizing the operator's focus on improving upload capacity. The company identified activities such as high-resolution photography, video sharing, large file transfers, and AI-powered services as likely to benefit from the faster upload speeds.
Faster transmission can reduce the time required to send data from a user's device to remote servers for processing or distribution. However, overall response times also depend on server processing, network congestion, and the performance of the application itself. Etisalat's deployment of MIMO and carrier aggregation are not new technologies, but their combined commercial use for smartphone uploads is a significant development.
The operator did not publish independent benchmark results to compare the upgraded service with conventional connections, leaving the practical reach and performance of the enhancement unclear. The announcement builds on earlier work by Etisalat on its 5.5G infrastructure, which included the commercial deployment of four-carrier aggregation in December 2025, achieving peak download speeds exceeding four gigabits per second.
The latest upgrade follows that deployment and does not provide information on the timing or additional activation required for subscribers.
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