Etisalat has launched its HSPA+ 3.5G technology covering the world’s tallest tower, Burj Dubai and the surrounding areas, setting a new record with the Middle East’s highest mobile broadband speed of up to 21Mbps.

Adding to its list of firsts, Burj Dubai, has now also become the first in the Mena region to have the highest speed mobile broadband from HSPA+, the Etisalat said in a statement.

HSPA+ provides users with mobile broadband speeds of up to 21Mbps for download and 11Mbps for uploads, which is the highest speed available in the region.

Etisalat has earlier announced the infrastructure readiness of the Burj Dubai to operate on the futuristic LTE (4G) technology which will provide users with speeds up to 150Mbps for downloads and 50Mbps for uploads.

HSPA+ technology is currently available in all Emirates areas across the UAE and in the coming months, it is set to be deployed across Etisalat’s 3.5G stations which cover 99 per cent of the populated area of the country.

To derive maximum benefit of the advanced HSPA+, customers can avail of this technology-compatible devices such as Etisalat’s HSPA Wi-fi modems and USBs.

Commenting on the occasion, Ahmad Julfar, COO of Etisalat said, “We are extremely happy and excited on the achievement of this exceptional feat. It not only reinforces Dubai’s world position and that of the UAE as pioneers in engineering, but is also a testament to the strong will of our rulers who are determined to achieve the impossible.'

'As we begin a new year of hopes and recoveries, this comes as an assurance that they will continue to mark the nation and present its people with more such iconic successes,' he noted.

“This is an auspicious occasion that coincides with Sheikh Mohammed’s fourth anniversary as the Ruler of Dubai. On many levels, the tallest building known to mankind also echoes the magnitude of the global accomplishments under Sheikh Mohammed’s leadership,” Julfar added.-TradeArabia News Service