Carrier guide

Network compatibility Etisalat/e&

Etisalat, rebranded as e&, is the UAE's leading operator with over 160 million subscribers across 16 countries, including the UAE, Morocco, Pakistan and Egypt. A 5G pioneer in the Middle East, e& deploys a network including 5G mmWave. This guide details the bands and compatibility with HiCellTek.

Updated March 2026 · ~5 min read

Etisalat/e& frequency bands

Etisalat operates a broad spectrum portfolio in the UAE including FDD, TDD and mmWave bands. International subsidiaries adapt bands according to local licenses.

Technology	Band	Frequency	Primary use
4G LTE	B1	2100 MHz	Urban coverage, capacity
4G LTE	B3	1800 MHz	Primary band, extended coverage
4G LTE	B7	2600 MHz	High capacity FDD
4G LTE	B20	800 MHz	Rural and indoor coverage
4G LTE	B40	2300 MHz	TDD, high urban capacity
4G LTE	B41	2500 MHz	TDD, high throughput dense areas
5G NR	n78	3500 MHz	Primary 5G, high throughput
5G NR	n258	26 GHz	5G mmWave, ultra-high throughput

e& subsidiaries (Morocco, Pakistan, Egypt) deploy different band combinations. The group retains 2G and 3G spectrum in some markets.

HiCellTek use cases for Etisalat/e&

5G Drive Test

Drive test campaigns on the e& network including 5G n78 and n258 mmWave. Measure SS-RSRP, SS-SINR and NR throughput in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

Network optimization

Optimize FDD/TDD coexistence (B3/B40/B41) and identify interference zones on the Etisalat network. RF Monitor delivers real-time KPIs.

SSV (Single Site Verification)

Validate e& sites by measuring coverage, handovers and VoLTE/VoNR quality. Export reports in Excel for technical acceptance.

Multi-country benchmarking

Compare performance across e& subsidiaries (UAE, Morocco, Pakistan) using the same HiCellTek tool and KPIs for consistent group-level benchmarking.

Frequently asked questions. Etisalat/e&

What 4G/5G bands does Etisalat use in the UAE?

Etisalat (e&) deploys bands B1 (2100 MHz), B3 (1800 MHz), B7 (2600 MHz), B20 (800 MHz), B40 (2300 MHz) and B41 (2500 MHz) for 4G. For 5G, Etisalat uses n78 (3500 MHz) and n258 (26 GHz mmWave) for ultra-high throughput.

Does Etisalat operate outside the UAE?

Yes, under the e& brand, the group operates in 16 countries including Morocco (Maroc Telecom is a subsidiary), Pakistan (PTCL/Ufone), Egypt and several African markets. Deployed bands vary by subsidiary.

How can I audit the Etisalat network with HiCellTek?

HiCellTek supports all Etisalat FDD, TDD and 5G NR bands. The Drive Test and RF Monitor modules measure RSRP, RSRQ, SINR and throughput in real time, with cartographic export and Excel reports.