e& UAE and Huawei Push Boundaries with Region’s First Optical Innovation Centre for AI Networks

e& UAE,  the flagship telecom arm of global technology group e&, and Huawei  have launched the Optical Innovation Centre (OIC) to accelerate the UAE’s shift to AI-ready networks, combining lab-to-field trials with co-development on enabling technologies across transport, access, and in-home experiences.

The establishment of the OIC introduces a forward-looking collaboration model that elevates the strategic relationship between the two companies to a new level. It is designed to foster technological co-innovation that supports e& UAE’s leadership across three key strategic pillars: network leadership, superior user experience, and a sustainable business model. Through a series of joint innovations and lab-to-field trials under ‘Network for AI’ and ‘AI for Network’, the collaboration has delivered industry-leading trial results that reinforce e& UAE’s leadership in optical network capabilities.

“Enhancing user experience through AI-driven networks remains a key priority. Our collaboration introduces advanced optical capabilities, such as hollow-core fibre DCI, zero-loss protection, and fine-grained OTN, that raise performance where it matters: lower latency, predictable capacity and greater resiliency for AI workloads across the UAE.”

– Abdul Rahman Al Humaidan, Senior Vice President/Access Network Development, e& UAE

“As a long-term strategic partner of e& UAE, Huawei is committed to supporting the evolution of their network infrastructure. The success of our optical innovation collaboration highlights the tangible outcomes of our joint efforts, elevating e& UAE’s AI network capabilities to new heights. We look forward to continuing our partnership and contributing to the advancement of the UAE’s digital infrastructure.”

– Yunbo Gu, President of the Optical Transmission Business Domain, Huawei

These use cases are set to be incubated within the year, as detailed below:

• Elastic & Lossless & Ultra-Low Latency Transport Network for AI: In the AI era, ultra-low latency, high capacity, and agile connectivity have become essential requirements. To address these demands, e& UAE and Huawei have introduced three industry-leading innovations: Hollow-core fibre (HCF) for AI data centre interconnection (DCI) as the region’s first trial, was conducted successfully using Huawei’s Kepler platform to deliver record-breaking transmission speeds of 128 Tb/s per fibre in vendor trials while cutting latency by one-third per kilometre. This landmark achievement sets a new benchmark for ultra-low-latency, high-capacity data centre connectivity, addressing the surging demands of the AI era. Second, a seamless, zero-loss protection mechanism for DCI is tested to ensure uninterrupted remote computing performance. By eliminating packet loss where even a 0.1 per cent loss can cut AI training efficiency by up to 50 per cent, this breakthrough delivers unmatched reliability for advanced AI workloads. Third, with another regional first, Huawei and e& UAE completed the trial of next-generation fine-grained Optical Transport Network (fgOTN) technology. The trial demonstrated dedicated, highly secure, and predictable low-latency channels with bandwidth granularity adjustable down to 10 Mbps, setting a new benchmark for meeting the stringent demands of latency-sensitive AI applications.
• Conversational AI for optical Network, Advancing Toward Zero-Outage and Zero-Touch Operations: e& UAE is evolving its optical network into an AI-based infrastructure, leveraging its Transmission Digital Map. This globally pioneering system, built on digital-twin technology and AI agents and Copilot. AssurSpirit, an AI agent that optimises transmission network scenarios by identifying 42 types of potential risks across all network layers in real time, enabling proactive warnings and leveraging the reliability. A Generative AI-based Copilot was trialled in lab to support closed-loop service planning, provisioning and performance optimisation through an intuitive conversational AI interface. The four innovations introduced through the OIC mark only the beginning. e& UAE and Huawei will continue to collaborate on cutting-edge technologies under the “Network for AI” and “AI for Network” frameworks, building a robust foundation for future AI-driven services.