UAE, after 28 years, to shut down 2G network by end of 2022

• Emirate to allocate resources for 5G technology to drive digital transformation, internet of things and smart cities.
• The sale of devices supporting 2G will be stopped in June 2022.

UAE to shut down 2G (GSM) telecom network by the end of 2022, after 28 years,  in a bid to allocate resources for 5G technology to drive digital transformation, internet of things and smart cities.

 The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) announced that the sale of devices supporting 2G only will be stopped in June 2022 in the UAE markets.

The authority is currently working, in cooperation with service providers (Etisalat and du), to provide the best services by building modern and advanced networks that meet the users’ current and future requirements.

Despite 4G being the dominant technology, 5G adoption is growing in momentum for both the network and device domains.

In the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, 4G accounted for about 80 per cent of the subscriptions at the end of 2020, according to Ericsson’s Mobility Report.

By 2026, 5G is expected to account for over 62 million, representing about 73 per cent of total mobile subscriptions and will make the GCC the region with the second-highest 5G penetration rate.

UAE is keen to make the city completely paperless, ensuring all government transactions are 100 per cent digitised, as part of Smart Dubai Vision.

Ambitious plans for digital transformation are apparent in the number of high visibility sporting and cultural events to be hosted by GCC countries over the next three years. These include Expo 2020 (to take place in the UAE from October 2021 through March 2022) and a 2022 international football tournament in Qatar.