DUBAI — Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company, commercially operating as du, has hosted the third quarter 2026 UAE 6G Research and Development (R&D) Subcommittee Meeting at its corporate headquarters in Dubai, convening telecommunications operators, academic researchers, global hardware vendors, and federal regulatory bodies to advance the nation’s sixth generation wireless roadmap.
Chaired by du Infra, the collaborative forum assembled key steering committee stakeholders including the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) alongside premier domestic universities and technology pioneers. As the United Arab Emirates accelerates its mission to establish a sovereign center for advanced digital infrastructure, the technical sessions aligned national priorities across five foundational pillars comprising Artificial Intelligence (AI), Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), Broadband and Non Terrestrial Networks (NTN), Cyber Security, and global Standardization.
A focal point of the symposium was a live exhibition of operational prototypes and early stage 6G hardware architectures engineered by du in tandem with academic and industrial partners. New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) demonstrated a High Speed Secure LiFi optical wireless system representing the first 100 percent domestically engineered prototype created within the UAE, while Khalifa University showcased specialized RF GPT and Mobile GPT generative radio models tailored for autonomous telecom network management. Concurrently, du unveiled several hardware innovations, including the world’s first AI Customer Premises Equipment (AI CPE), the world’s first Wireless CPE, and a specialized LiFi fixed wireless access solution built in technical collaboration with optical communications specialist pureLiFi.
Saleem Alblooshi, Chief Technology Officer at du, stated that realizing sixth generation wireless architecture necessitates structured coordination connecting commercial carriers, academic laboratories, and national regulators. Alblooshi emphasized that hosting the UAE 6G R&D Subcommittee reflects the operator’s mandate to shape international communications standards and position the Emirates at the vanguard of global 6G deployment, accelerating the transition from academic formulation toward commercial technologies capable of powering autonomous digital societies.
Beyond technical standardization, the subcommittee proceedings underscored how proprietary research and infrastructure engineering serve as long term commercial growth drivers for the telecom sector. By spearheading early testing across optical wireless communications, satellite integrated networks, and AI native radio interfaces, du aims to establish new enterprise revenue streams, support industrial automation, and build the underlying connectivity fabric for the UAE’s future digital economy.
