Etisalat primed to launch 4G mobile network

Etisalat is set to announce the launch of its high-speed '4G' mobile network.

The operator is expected to claim that the new network will offer speeds of up to 100 megabits per second.

The network will be available in all the main cities of the UAE.

Earlier this month, three operators in Saudi Arabia claimed the crown for launching the region's first 4G network, as operators STC, Mobily and Zain Saudi all announced the "region's first" 4G networks within days of each other.

A representative of Etisalat said that its network was the most comprehensive, designed for use over mobile networks, and operating to a different standard to the Saudi Arabia networks.

Nasser Bin Obood, the acting chief executive of Etisalat, said that the company had invested Dh6 billion in both its next-generation mobile, and fibre-optic networks.

Etisalat's mobile-internet network uses long-term evolution (LTE) technology, which is sometimes referred to as '4G' for marketing purposes.

"We are proud today to launch the LTE network in all major cities," said Mr Obood.

bflanagan@thenational.ae