Du And Khalifa University Take UAE 6G Trials Onto Live Network Infrastructure
The National reported that du and Khalifa University tested 6G on live macro infrastructure in Abu Dhabi, reaching up to 500 metres of outdoor coverage and peak downlink speeds near 1.5Gbps.
UAE telecom operator du and Khalifa University have moved a 6G field test onto operating macro-network equipment in Mohamed Bin Zayed City in Abu Dhabi, The National reported on August 12, 2026.
The joint paper recorded outdoor reach of as much as 500 metres and peak download performance close to 1.5 gigabits per second (1.5Gbps).
That gives the UAE's 6G programme a measured live-network reference point rather than only a laboratory or standards discussion.
Trial Results Move 6G Into The Network
The trial positioned the work as an early regional validation of upper-mid-band spectrum under scaled field conditions.
For network planners, the live-site setting is the useful part: it tests whether equipment already in service can support practical 6G experiments before commercial service arrives.
Khalifa University president Ebrahim Al Hajri said the partnership with du was translating research into practical telecoms solutions.
Fahad Al Hassawi, du's chief executive, said the upper 6GHz field results showed that the future network was "not theoretical" and was being built on the company's existing network.
AI-Native Networks Become The Target
The joint paper presents 6G as more than a faster mobile generation.
Future networks would combine communications, computing, data, sensing and AI in one infrastructure layer that can use real-time information to forecast demand and improve resource allocation before faults appear.
The operating question now extends beyond raw speed.
The broader target is autonomous network functions that respond to customer intent and business outcomes.
UAE Spectrum Policy Supports The Push
In 2024, the Telecommunications and Digital Regulatory Authority announced plans to allocate the 600MHz and 6GHz bands as part of the UAE's preparations for future 6G services.
Samsung has previously predicted widespread 6G network adoption by 2030, with standards completion and early commercialisation by 2028.
For the UAE, the du and Khalifa University trial adds a domestic field result to that timeline while commercial 6G remains a future target rather than a current service.
