e& and ZTT complete region’s first hollow-core fibre field trial
e& UAE, the flagship telecommunications arm of global technology group e&, has successfully completed the Middle East’s first hollow-core fibre (HCF) field trial in collaboration with ZTT, a leading provider of advanced fibre optic solutions. The milestone trial marks a significant step forward in the evolution of next-generation fibre infrastructure across the region.
The live field trial was conducted over an external plant link connecting two operational facilities. Results confirmed measurable performance improvements compared to conventional solid-glass fibre, with latency reductions of up to 30 per cent observed under test conditions.
Hollow-core fibre technology allows light to travel primarily through air rather than glass, significantly reducing signal delay while enhancing bandwidth efficiency. The successful validation demonstrates the technology’s readiness for real-world deployment and its potential to support high-performance connectivity requirements across the UAE.
Abdul Rahman Al Humaidan, Senior Vice President for Access Network Development at e& UAE, said the trial represents a major advancement in low-latency transport solutions for the country’s digital infrastructure. He noted that validating HCF in a live environment sets new performance benchmarks for both enterprise and public-sector connectivity, reinforcing e& UAE’s role as a regional technology pioneer.
Cao Shanshan, Chief Technology Officer at ZTT, said the results confirm hollow-core fibre’s suitability for commercial use. She highlighted that the demonstrated latency improvements can deliver tangible benefits for data centres, cloud connectivity and other time-sensitive applications when deployed at scale.
The trial showcased several key advantages of the HCF solution, including ultra-low latency, improved signal integrity over long distances, high bandwidth capacity and enhanced durability designed for harsh outdoor environments. The technology is also well suited to supporting future-ready networks, including 5G, cloud computing and AI-driven services.
The successful deployment underscores e& UAE’s ongoing commitment to accelerating digital transformation and strengthening the nation’s ICT ecosystem. It also reflects a shared vision between e& UAE and ZTT to advance sustainable, future-proof telecommunications infrastructure.
As the UAE continues to expand its digital economy, hollow-core fibre is expected to play a critical role in enabling high-capacity, mission-critical communications for hyperscalers, data centres and cloud platforms, while supporting emerging technologies such as edge computing, autonomous systems and AI-powered enterprise services.
