A landmark agreement was signed between e& UAE, the flagship telecom arm of global technology group e&, Khalifa University (KU), and Zayed University (ZU). The strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalizes the establishment of the UAE 6G Innovation Hub and the country’s first National 5G/6G Federated Testbeds, powered by IEEE 5G/6G Innovation Testbed.
This initiative is a critical step in positioning the UAE at the forefront of global connectivity and is designed to move the nation from early technology adoption to active global co-creation. The newly announced testbeds will function as secure ‘sandbox' environments, allowing universities, pioneering startups, and technology vendors to trial next-generation technologies, software, and applications before they hit commercial markets.
The collaborative research and development efforts will focus on cutting-edge areas, including holographic communications, the Internet of Things (IoT), tactile internet, and Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC). Crucially, the Hub will also develop a pipeline of world-class UAE talent through student involvement, internships, and applied research projects—preparing the next generation to lead the future of connectivity.
About The IEEE 5G/6G Innovation Testbed
The Innovation Testbed enables testing and experimentation for 5G products and services. Secure, easily accessible, and “always on,” this platform brings 5G network testing and development to your fingertips and paves the way for speedier and smoother real-world deployments. Built by IEEE with the goal of encouraging collaborative experimentation, the Innovation Testbed can bring together operators, equipment vendors, and application developers working on a wide range of industry applications including manufacturing 2.0, healthcare, agriculture, drone services, driverless technology, gaming, connected products, smart cities, and virtual reality.
Test
Efficient, economic 5G conformity testing within the 3GPP standards ecosystem
Experiment
Flexible, scalable, and “always on” for CICD development within a wide range of 5G use cases and scenarios
Innovate
Adjust, transform, and integrate new network functions or features
