Dubai – Mubasher: Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Co (du) plans to launch the second phase of the 5G network in the UAE by the end of 2020, the company’s chief infrastructure officer Saleem Al Balooshi said.

The currently being offered 5G technology services represent the first phase of the launch which depends on the existing 4G network, Al-Ittihad newspaper reported, citing Al Balooshi.

The Emirati telecom operator also aims to invest around AED 1.3 billion to AED 1.5 billion this year, mainly in the preparations for the 5G network, Al Balooshi noted.

The company has already begun collaborating with a number of global mobile phone manufacturers to launch 5G supported devices in the market, he added.

He also expected various models of these mobile phones to be released in the local market within the coming weeks or months.

Earlier this day, du announced the signing of a commercial agreement with wi-tribe Pakistan LDI (Private) Ltd, a subsidiary of HB International Investments Ltd, to build 'Orient Express Cable System', a 1,400-kilometre submarine cable system between Karachi and Gwadar in Pakistan and Kalba in the UAE.

Under the agreement, both companies will work jointly to ease the development of a high capacity low latency submarine cable between Pakistan and the UAE, du said in a statement to the ADX.

Moreover, du highlighted that its relationship with wi-tribe is “purely commercial”, adding that it has no investment or ownership in the cable system.

du previously announced it logged a profit after royalty of AED 464 million during the second quarter of 2019, up 2.5% from AED 453 million in Q2-18.

The company’s board of directors proposed the distribution of AED 589 million in cash dividends for the first six months of 2019.