stc Bahrain has announced the successful completion of 5G-Advanced (5.5G) trials in the MENA region. The live demonstration was showcased during the 31st Arab Spectrum Management Group (ASMG), utilising the upper 6GHz frequency range (400MHz bandwidth) for 5G-Advanced, made available through the Telecom Regulatory Authority’s (TRA’s) innovation licence. The operator claims a data transfer speed of over 10Gbps was achieved during the initial phase of testing.

Commenting on the development, stc Bahrain CEO Nezar Banabeela said: ‘We are excited with what we have witnessed so far and the potential it has to complement existing 5G networks with new data transfer speeds, low latency, and network reliability. This is just an initial breakthrough as we continue to research and test similar technologies and set new industry benchmarks.’

According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, stc Bahrain launched 5G broadband fixed wireless access (FWA) services in selected areas in June 2019 and introduced mobile data plans for post-paid and pre-paid customers the following month, supporting speeds of up to 1Gbps. The network’s footprint was extended to 50% of Bahrain’s territory by January 2020, with maximum data transfer speeds increased to 1.2Gbps, and now covers around 100% of the Kingdom.