Apple’s next-generation tablet is not compatible with the
UAE’s wavelength. The device major is expected to follow the South Korean firm
to bring iPads suited for the region.
Etisalat uses 2.6GHz spectrum for indoors and 1800MHz
spectrum for outdoors. The mobile major is also working with TRA to launch
800MHz bandwidth for nationwide LTE.
According to Informa, the uptake of LTE is very slow due
to lack of devices, and it will take several years for LTE to really become a
mass-market technology.
Operators in the Middle East are also still in the early
stages of developing their pricing and promotion of LTE to consumers.
In the past year, four Middle East operators have
launched LTE – Etisalat in the UAE; STC, Mobily and Zain in Saudi Arabia.
Etisalat has deployed around 1,000 base stations and its
current LTE footprint spans major cities covering 80 per cent of the
population.
Etisalat will double its 3G mobile broadband speed to
84Mbps from the current 42Mbps by the first quarter of next year due to the
demand for broadband hungry applications.
Over the last year, Etisalat has witnessed a 200 per cent
growth in data roaming traffic.
Etisalat has 3G network covering 99 per cent of the UAE’s
populated area. Its network is ready for 84Mbps, but the current devices can
only support up to 42Mbps.