Etisalat spends Dh2.5bn on 4G

Etisalat spent about Dh2.5 billion last year on its 4G and fibreoptic networks, according to a report in Al Ittihad, the Arabic-language sister newspaper of The National.

The report said that brings the phone company’s total investment in its networks over the past five years to Dh21bn.

Looking ahead, Etisalat is considering the launch of a network using 5G technology.

5G technology has yet to be invented, but telecoms analysts predict it will appear sometime near 2020.

A new telecoms generation arises about once every decade.

In an interview with Al Ittihad, the Etisalat chief executive, Saleh Al Abdooli, said that the company increased its number of mobile stations in 2014 by about 2,500 for 3G and 4G, bringing the total number of mobile stations in the country to 19,000.

He said that the number of stations would increase to 22,000 this year, with coverage for mobile phones exceeding 99.5 per cent for 2G and 3G and 90 per cent for 4G.

Yesterday on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, Etisalat shares slipped 5 fils to close at Dh10.90.

Etisalat’s share price tends to be stable, as foreign investors are not allowed to buy the stock. The stock’s price range over the past year is a high of Dh12.60 and a low of Dh10.35.

Etisalat is the second-most heavily weighted stock on the Abu Dhabi index, behind First Gulf Bank.

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