ASMG decides to use the 3.3-3.8GHz frequency band.
5G to account for 16% of all telecommunications connections in the MENA region by 2025.

The Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) welcomed the decision of the Arab Spectrum Management Group (ASMG) to use the 3.3-3.8GHz frequency band for broadband mobile services, the GSMA said on the 20th.
This move will accelerate the deployment of ultra-fast 5G networks across the Arab region by allocating frequency bands suitable for 5G communications.

The ASMG, comprised of 22 Arab countries, coordinates frequency band management among Arab countries and matters related to the World Radiocommunication Conference of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

The ASMG approved the use of the 3.4-3.8GHz band for ultra-fast mobile across the Arab region, while partially allowing the use of the 3.3-3.4GHz band as some countries continue to reserve it for other services.

5G mobile devices will operate broadly across the entire 3.3–3.8 GHz band. This will support the rapid growth of the 3GHz bandwidth equipment ecosystem, expanding the economic scale of the device manufacturing industry and creating an environment for faster release of affordable devices.

The decision, announced at ASMG's December meeting in Amman, Jordan, underscores the accelerating pace of next-generation mobile connectivity technologies.

The GSMA recently released reports, "The Mobile Economy: Middle East and North Africa 2018" and "5G in MENA," predicting that Arab countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will launch 5G commercial services in 2019, enabling the provision of new services and accelerating market growth across MENA.

By 2025, 5G is expected to account for 16% of all telecommunications connections in the MENA region. 5G mobile services are expected to be available in over 50 countries across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific between 2018 and 2020.

Several countries, including some ASMG members such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, are expected to launch 5G commercial services earlier than initially announced. Ultra-fast 5G networks will require a significant range of newly regulated mobile frequency bands, including intermediate frequency bands in the 3.4 to 3.8 GHz band.

The GSMA recommends that national regulators allocate 80-100MHz of adjacent frequency bands per operator in the core 5G mid-band, such as the 3GHz band, and around 1GHz of bandwidth in millimeter-wave bands, such as above 24GHz.

“The 3GHz spectrum is one of the first resources that will be used for 5G communications globally,” said Tariq Al Awadhi, chairman of ASMG. “This spectrum can be a crucial foundation for providing 5G services in Arab countries.”

“With the increased availability and capacity of mobile networks, governments across the Arab region are paving the way for investment in infrastructure and services,” said Jawad Abbassi, head of MENA, GSMA. “The ASMG is providing strong leadership to support the future of 5G in the region.”