Introduction
Following the IoT connectivity UAE, the United Arab Emirates has been at the forefront of digital transformation in the Middle East, with NB-IoT (Narrowband IoT) and LTE-M (Cat-M1) forming critical components of the country’s national IoT Technologies and smart city strategies, driving market growth and efficient data management through IoT Solutions.
The country’s two main telecom operators, Etisalat by e& and du (Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company), have both rolled out NB-IoT networks, with LTE-M deployment following in select areas.
Rapid Adoption of NB-IoT and LTE-M in the UAE
The UAE’s early and strategic investment in cellular LPWAN technologies is tightly linked to its national initiatives, such as:
- UAE Vision 2031
- Smart Dubai and Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA) programs
- UAE AI Strategy 2031
These efforts aim to digitize sectors including utilities, transportation, public safety, and healthcare, creating an environment ripe for large-scale IoT adoption.
The UAE’s IoT market size is projected to grow at a steady annual rate of 8.74% from 2025 to 2029, reaching a significant market volume of US$3.88 billion by 2029, driven by strong public-private collaboration, 5G readiness, and nationwide LPWAN coverage.
The Dubai Internet of Things (IoT) Strategy:
Smart Dubai IoT Strategy aims to establish the world’s most advanced IoT ecosystem within the world’s smartest city. Aligned with the Smart Dubai Plan 2021, the strategy focuses on enhancing quality of life, achieving a fully paperless government, and protecting the city’s digital assets.
It integrates IoT devices data via the Dubai Pulse platform—Dubai’s digital backbone—and spans six strategic domains: governance, management, acceleration, deployment, monetisation, and security. Implemented in four phases over three years, the strategy progresses from policy coordination and system integration to optimisation and full-scale blockchain-enabled IoT deployment, unlocking new economic and social opportunities.
Leading Operators Powering IoT in the UAE
Etisalat by e&
Etisalat by e& was the first telecom operator in the UAE to commercially launch NB-IoT services in 2017, marking a major milestone in the country’s digital infrastructure development.
Utilizing the 800 MHz spectrum, Etisalat now offers nationwide NB-IoT coverage, enabling reliable connectivity for a wide range of low-power IoT applications.
The company has also conducted successful trials of LTE-M and is gradually rolling out the technology to support mobile and voice-enabled IoT use cases.
Etisalat’s enterprise offerings include comprehensive IoT and M2M solutions for sectors such as smart metering, infrastructure monitoring, and connected transportation, reinforcing its role as a key enabler of the UAE’s smart transformation.
du (EITC)
du (EITC) provides NB-IoT coverage across key urban centers and industrial zones in the UAE, supporting the country’s growing demand for low-power, wide-area connectivity. The operator plays a central role in Dubai’s smart infrastructure initiatives, with a strong focus on enabling smart city and industrial IoT projects. du offers IoT platforms-as-a-service, catering to a wide range of verticals including healthcare, retail, and construction. As part of its broader 5G and IoT integration strategy, du is also expected to expand its LTE-M capabilities to support more advanced and mobile IoT applications in the near future.
Global IoT Connectivity in the UAE
International IoT providers operate actively in the UAE, but always through partnerships with licensed local carriers to ensure compliance with national regulations.
Providers like 1NCE offer flat-rate NB-IoT and LTE-M plans globally, including in the UAE, supported by local operator agreements and eUICC technology for rapid SIM localization. Others, such as Eseye, KORE Wireless, Truphone, and BICS, enable global IoT SIMs with local breakout routing tailored to UAE compliance requirements.
Additionally, Vodafone Global IoT, Tata Communications MOVE, and Transatel provide managed connectivity platforms that integrate seamlessly with the UAE operator infrastructure.
These providers offer essential features like multi-network fallback, remote SIM provisioning, and centralized device management, crucial in a country characterized by varied geography and stringent regulatory oversight.
NB-IoT & LTE-M vs. LoRaWAN and Sigfox in the UAE
- NB-IoT in the UAE:
NB-IoT operates on licensed spectrum, typically around 800 MHz, and offers deep indoor coverage with extended battery life, making it ideal for low-power, stationary applications. Backed by both Etisalat and du, NB-IoT enjoys nationwide availability and is widely used in smart parking systems, utility metering, environmental monitoring, and building automation.
- LTE-M in the UAE:
LTE-M is currently being rolled out by the same operators and supports voice over LTE (VoLTE), handovers, and mobility. It is well-suited for use cases requiring real-time communication and movement, such as mobile healthcare, fleet tracking, and wearable devices. As the UAE transitions to standalone 5G networks, LTE-M adoption is expected to expand further.
- LoRaWAN in the UAE:
LoRaWAN is primarily used in private deployments, particularly within the oil and gas sector and industrial campuses. It lacks nationwide operator support and is more appropriate for localized, campus-scale networks. However, it faces limitations due to interference and scalability challenges.
- Sigfox in the UAE:
Sigfox, once introduced in the region, has become largely inactive. Its coverage in the UAE is sparse and adoption is minimal. Over time, it has been overtaken by more reliable and scalable cellular alternatives like NB-IoT and LTE-M.
Ensuring Seamless IoT Connectivity via Local and Global Partnerships
Overcoming Regional Constraints
Unlike many other countries, the UAE maintains strict regulatory control over telecom infrastructure, requiring global IoT providers to partner with licensed local entities to operate compliantly. To address this:
- International IoT players like 1NCE, KORE Wireless, and Eseye collaborate with UAE carriers to offer eUICC-enabled SIMs with local IMSI profiles.
- Roaming is heavily restricted, and permanent roaming is discouraged. Devices must switch to a local UAE profile within a short period of time.
Global providers overcome these challenges through:
- Local hosting of SIM management infrastructure
- Remote SIM provisioning (RSP) via eSIM
- Joint ventures or virtual operator partnerships with Etisalat and du
This model guarantees regulatory compliance, cost predictability, and seamless remote management for large-scale IoT fleets in utilities, logistics, and smart buildings.
UAE’s IoT Connectivity Outlook
The UAE stands as one of the most advanced IoT Technologies markets in the Middle East, driven by a combination of robust infrastructure and strategic national initiatives. The country benefits from IoT solutions and comprehensive nationwide NB-IoT coverage and is steadily expanding its support for LTE-M to accommodate more dynamic IoT technologies applications. These technological advancements are reinforced by government-led smart city and UAE government with AI strategies that aim to digitalize public services and urban infrastructure. Furthermore, the UAE’s IoT ecosystem is strengthened through close collaboration between global connectivity providers and licensed local operators, ensuring innovation, data security, and regulatory compliance.
NB IoT Technologies has already found widespread application in critical sectors such as energy, water management, waste monitoring, and urban mobility, offering reliable market data, low-power connectivity for connected devices and infrastructure.
As LTE-M deployment accelerates, the country is poised to enable the next wave of real-time, mobile IoT use cases such as connected health, logistics, and smart transportation. With its advanced digital infrastructure, proactive regulatory environment, and strong commitment to national transformation and smart city development goals like UAE Vision 2031 and Smart Dubai, the UAE is not only leading the region in IoT adoption but is also setting global benchmarks and market growth.
Conclusion
The convergence of 5G, eSIM technologies, and secure data platforms further enhances the scalability and resilience of the UAE’s IoT landscape, positioning it as a future-ready hub for innovation across both public and private sectors.
The UAE is primed to become a regional IoT powerhouse, offering future-proof, secure, and scalable connectivity for enterprises and public institutions alike.
