UAE Makes History with Region’s First 6G THz Trial, Reaching 145 Gbps Throughput
This milestone builds on the earlier 6G Collaboration MoU signed between e& UAE and NYU Abu Dhabi, which laid the foundation for joint research, knowledge sharing, and 6G testbed development in partnership with global standards bodies.
In a landmark achievement for regional and global connectivity, e& UAE and New York University (NYU) Abu Dhabi have jointly demonstrated the first 6G Terahertz (THz) pilot in the Middle East, achieving record-breaking throughput of 145 Gbps. This pioneering trial marks a significant step in the UAE’s journey to shape the future of intelligent, immersive, and sustainable connectivity.
The pilot validates the potential of THz frequencies to deliver ultra-high-capacity, ultra-low-latency links, enabling transformative use cases such as holographic telepresence, extended reality (XR), terabit-class backhaul, and digital twins. By advancing research at the frontier of 6G spectrum, this initiative cements the UAE’s position as a global leader in technology innovation.
“Achieving 145 Gbps milestone is a breakthrough moment for the industry and for the UAE. This achievement demonstrates our ability to pioneer at the edge of technology, exploring the transformative potential of 6G to reimagine how people, businesses, and cities connect. Our collaboration with NYU Abu Dhabi underscores the critical role of academia–industry partnerships in shaping the future of connectivity.”
– Marwan Bin Shaker, Acting Chief Technology and Information Officer, e& UAE
“This pilot is a major milestone for the region, demonstrating how joint collaboration can unlock new frontiers in wireless technology. By combining academic excellence with real-world operator expertise, the UAE is positioning itself as a co-creator of the 6G era.”
– Sehamuddin Galadari, Managing Director of the Research Institute, NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD)
“This pilot provides critical validation of THz bands, considered a key enabler of 6G. Their unique propagation characteristics, hardware constraints, and processing demands require fundamentally new system architectures beyond today’s solutions. Through this collaboration, we are building local expertise and testbed infrastructure to tackle these challenges and contribute to global 6G standardisation.”
– Prof. Murat Uysal, Founding Director, Research Institute NYUAD Wireless Center
The demonstration is accompanied by the joint white paper “Building the Fabric of 6G: Spectrum Frontiers and Enabling Technologies”, co-authored by experts from e& UAE and Research Institute NYUAD Wireless Center. The paper outlines the strategic role of spectrum evolution — from sub-7 GHz to THz — and highlights how enabling technologies such as AI-native network, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS), and integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) will shape the 6G era.
This milestone builds on the earlier 6G Collaboration MoU signed between e& UAE and NYU Abu Dhabi, which laid the foundation for joint research, knowledge sharing, and 6G testbed development in partnership with global standards bodies. Together, these initiatives reflect the UAE’s commitment to not just adopting 6G early but actively contributing to its global development and standardisation, driving forward the vision of intelligent, immersive, and sustainable future networks.
