A higher mode-based dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) featuring attractive characteristics has been explored and successfully demonstrated for use in wireless industry. In here, an improvised elevated feed platform has been conceived to exploit HEM12δ mode in a cylindrical DRA. An additional filtering mechanism by a selective loading has been introduced to achieve a clean and exclusive HEM12δ resonance. A single unit has been characterized at C-band based on the available characterization facility and experimentally verified ensuring 22% wide matching bandwidth with as much as 11 dBi peak gain. A practical 2 × 2 array with a corporate feed has been successfully demonstrated. A consistent radiation pattern over about 10% matching bandwidth has been experimentally demonstrated. This ensures a flat peak gain (13-14 dBi) over the full usable frequency band. This is novel in terms of its pure higher mode operation supporting a wireless system with uniform gain characteristics. Its improved features compared to the earlier designs have been clearly discussed. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC