Qualcomm Technologies plans to leverage its new engineering center in Abu Dhabi to support its 5G, edge AI initiatives
In sum – what you need to know:
Qualcomm and e& ink strategic 5G-edge AI deal – The new partnership aims to commercialize next-gen 5G and edge AI solutions in the UAE, targeting enterprise, industrial and government sectors.
Focus on edge AI innovation – The companies will co-develop 5G edge AI gateways and Snapdragon-powered devices, integrating large language models for secure, on-device AI and enhanced operational efficiency.
Local R&D support in Abu Dhabi – Qualcomm will use its new Abu Dhabi Engineering Center to test and scale these technologies in key industries like energy, logistics and transport.
Qualcomm Technologies and Emirati-based telco e& UAE have announced a strategic partnership aimed at advancing the development and commercialization of next-generation connectivity, 5G and edge AI technologies.
Qualcomm noted that this collaboration is designed to speed up digital transformation across government, enterprise and industrial sectors.
Under the partnership, Qualcomm Technologies and e& will work together on:
-5G edge AI gateways for industrial and enterprise use, helping major sectors implement AI and other technologies closer to the data source to boost efficiency, performance and connectivity.
-Edge AI devices, including PCs and extended reality (XR) gadgets powered by Snapdragon platforms. These will feature integrated large language models (LLMs) and support on-device generative AI and secure AI processing from edge to cloud — targeted at enterprise and government needs.
-Smart mobility and safety technologies, designed to improve road safety and user experience, while also preparing UAE’s transport infrastructure for the future.
Additionally, Qualcomm Technologies plans to leverage its new Qualcomm Engineering Center in Abu Dhabi to support this initiative. The center will help explore and test new applications to expand the use of 5G and edge AI in sectors such as energy, manufacturing, logistics, retail and transportation.
“The cooperation between Qualcomm Technologies and e& will drive significant collaboration across some of the most transformative technology areas, including 5G, next-generation computing and intelligence at the edge. We look forward to working with e& to accelerate innovation and technology advancement across its ecosystem of enterprise and government customers in the UAE and beyond,” said Cristiano Amon, Qualcommm president and CEO.
“e& and Qualcomm Technologies have a history of cooperation, and this new agreement will help drive the digital transformation of enterprises significantly enhancing the UAE’s role in the global technology landscape. Together, we’re bringing powerful AI to the edge — from smart industrial gateways and wearables to mobility and infrastructure — enabling faster, more reliable, and secure experiences across sectors like manufacturing, transport, and government. These innovations will drive real-time intelligence, operational efficiency, and future-ready public services across the UAE,” said Hatem Dowidar, group CEO at e&.
In November 2024, e& UAE had completed what it claimed to be one of the world’s first deployments of Ericsson’s dual-band Massive MIMO radio, AIR 3229, on e& UAE’s network.
The Swedish vendor noted that this new deployment was aimed at boosting network performance, increase network capacity and reduce carbon footprint.
Ericsson noted that its AIR 3229 dual-band radio enables e& UAE to deliver 5G services simultaneously on both the 2.6 GHz and 3.5 GHz spectrum layers using a single unit. This makes it possible to double the number of time division duplex (TDD) carrier components from two to four in high-capacity 5G sites, Ericsson added.
The vendor also highlighted that this solution enhances network performance while addressing challenges related to site acquisition, installation complexity and tower load management. Ericsson’s solution reduces power consumption by 20% and minimizes the tower load by 25%.
Ericsson and e& UAE had also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the collaborative exploration of 6G technology, its use cases and future network evolution.
Ericsson noted that the 6G agreement with the Arab telco will serve as an early engagement for defining the next generation of future mobile network evolution. It will also include a series of technical discussions and engagements aimed at jointly exploring key 6G technology concepts, added the vendor.
