13 Middle East and North Africa Countries Designate 6 GHz Band for Wi-Fi

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Except for Algeria and Lebanon, all 13 surveyed countries in the Middle East and North Africa region have designated the lower 6 GHz band for Radio Local Area Networks (RLAN) or Wi-Fi.

Saudi Arabia has adopted the most extensive approach among the surveyed countries, opening the entire 6 GHz band for unlicensed use, primarily for indoor Wi-Fi. The Saudi Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) plans to allow outdoor WLAN applications under the framework of Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC).

The above information comes from the latest benchmark study published by Cullen International, which focuses on the regulatory treatment of the 6 GHz band. As demand for additional spectrum to support Wi-Fi and mobile broadband services continues to rise, this band is attracting increasing attention from regulators.

Historically, this band has been primarily used for fixed services, including point-to-point links and satellite services. However, regulators are now considering utilizing this band to meet future wireless communication needs.

For the upper 6 GHz band, regulatory approaches still vary across countries. Bahrain, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates have designated this band for mobile services, but to date, only the UAE has officially announced a spectrum allocation plan for mobile operators. UAE telecom operator e& plans to launch mobile services on the upper 6 GHz band by the end of 2026, utilizing 350 MHz of spectrum.

This benchmark study by Cullen International covers 13 Middle East and North African countries and provides three key pieces of information: whether the lower 6 GHz band has been opened for RLAN/Wi-Fi; whether the upper 6 GHz band has been designated or allocated for mobile services; and the operating environment for permitted technologies. The study region is the Middle East and North Africa, the policy area is radio spectrum, and data is updated as of June 2026.