Barcelona, Spain – Huawei launched a comprehensive portfolio of U6GHz products at Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2026, positioning the technology as crucial for maximizing the potential of 5G-Advanced (5G-A) and facilitating a transition towards 6G networks. The new suite is designed to address the demands of an increasingly AI-driven mobile landscape, offering increased capacity, reduced latency and an enhanced user experience.
The unveiling comes as artificial intelligence applications experience rapid growth. IDC reports that global monthly active users of AI applications and devices have surpassed one billion, with AI-powered smartphones accounting for over 50% of new shipments. Growth in AI glasses and other emerging devices is exceeding 50% annually, and token consumption has increased exponentially. This surge in AI usage is creating new demands on network infrastructure, particularly regarding uplink traffic and latency requirements.
Huawei’s U6GHz portfolio is intended to meet these demands. The company highlighted the U6GHz band’s large bandwidth and superior coverage as key advantages for 5G-A evolution, noting that following the WRC-23 conference, U6GHz has been designated a key mobile communications band. Several countries, including China, Brazil, and nations in Europe, are actively working on spectrum allocation and testing for the band, with commercially available U6GHz-compatible devices anticipated in 2026.
The product suite encompasses macro and micro sites, as well as microwave equipment, designed to leverage the bandwidth of the U6GHz spectrum. Huawei has launched a series of Antenna Array Units (AAUs) to address outdoor coverage and capacity needs. The U6GHz 256 TRX AAU utilizes an Extremely Large Antenna Array (ELAA) design and digital-analog hybrid intelligent beamforming algorithms, aiming to deliver coverage comparable to C-band performance. The AAU likewise boasts a downlink capacity of 100 Gbps and an uplink capacity exceeding 10 Gbps, designed to handle the increased connection demands from AI devices.
For indoor applications, Huawei introduced U6GHz small cell products supporting 400 MHz of bandwidth and integrating with existing sub-6 GHz bands. These products are designed for simplified deployment and aim to ensure consistent performance for AI applications in both indoor and outdoor environments.
Addressing transmission requirements, Huawei also launched new microwave products to support the high-bandwidth demands of U6GHz base stations. These products incorporate full-duplex technology to improve bandwidth and capacity, supporting 5G-A traffic and laying the groundwork for 6G evolution.
Huawei’s Mobile Backhaul Network (MBH) architecture, also launched ahead of MWC Barcelona 2026, is designed to support the U6GHz rollout. The architecture features 10GE/25GE to the site, L3 to the site, and end-to-end SRv6 capabilities, intended to enhance differentiated experience assurance and drive revenue growth for operators.
The U6GHz product suite is now commercially available, according to Huawei. The company asserts that the technology can address the capacity challenges of 5G-A and support a smooth transition to 6G, opening up new commercial opportunities for operators and establishing a connectivity foundation for the development of the intelligent world.
