e& UAE has switched on 1024QAM modulation across its live commercial 5.5G network, recording peak download speeds of 4.58 Gbps in a demonstration. The operator describes the step as a regional first, achieved with the help of the recently released Huawei Pura 90s smartphone, one of the early handsets able to support the higher-order scheme.
Higher-order modulation simply packs more data into each radio transmission. Moving from the more common 256QAM to 1024QAM increases spectral efficiency, which in controlled conditions can push theoretical peak rates higher. In the test, the network delivered 4,587 Mbps. That figure is impressive on paper, yet real-world performance will depend on signal quality, cell load, spectrum holdings and the handset’s ability to maintain the modulation under everyday conditions. Operators have long known that laboratory peaks rarely translate one-to-one into the street.
Still, the practical difference is not trivial. A denser constellation of bits per symbol can shorten the time needed to move large files, stream high-bitrate video or keep multiple demanding applications running simultaneously. Cloud gaming, multi-camera video calls and on-device AI features that lean on continuous high uplink and downlink capacity stand to benefit once the network and compatible devices are widely available. The UAE has invested heavily in advanced mobile infrastructure for years, and successive generations of 5G have already delivered noticeable gains in capacity and latency. Adding 1024QAM is a logical next increment rather than a sudden leap into uncharted territory.
e& executives framed the activation as part of a broader effort to support emerging digital services and the country’s push for a more advanced digital economy. The operator has steadily expanded its 5.5G footprint, pairing spectrum assets with denser site deployments and device partnerships. The Huawei handset used in the demonstration is among the first to advertise native support for the higher modulation, underscoring how network and terminal capabilities must advance together. Without enough compatible phones in customers’ hands, the extra efficiency remains largely theoretical.
Telecom history shows that each successive modulation upgrade has followed a similar pattern: early claims of multi-gigabit performance, gradual device support, and eventual widespread availability once the economics and coverage make sense. Previous jumps from QPSK through 64QAM and 256QAM delivered measurable capacity gains, yet they also required cleaner radio conditions and more sophisticated receivers. 1024QAM continues that trajectory, trading robustness for throughput. In denser urban cells with strong signal strength the benefit should be tangible; at the cell edge the network will simply fall back to lower, more resilient schemes.
For users the near-term impact will appear most clearly in areas of good coverage when transferring large media libraries, downloading high-resolution content or running several bandwidth-heavy applications at once. Whether the average customer notices a dramatic change in daily browsing or social media use is another question. Network capacity is only one variable; backhaul, core routing and application design matter just as much. e&’s continued investment keeps the UAE among the more aggressive markets for advanced mobile technology, but the true test will be sustained performance under load rather than peak numbers recorded in controlled tests.
