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From Hype to Hard Choices: What MWC26 Signals for Telcos and Their Ecosystems

March 2026

Altman Solon is the largest global TMT consulting firm, with expertise in telecommunications consulting. In this insight, our telecom experts share their perspectives on the key themes of Mobile World Congress 2026. These perspectives reflect the views of our experts and do not necessarily represent the official position of Altman Solon.

MWC26 marked a turning point for the telecoms industry. Not because of a single breakthrough, but because the gap between ambition and execution is now impossible to ignore.

Across operators, vendors, and hyperscalers, the industry is converging on a small number of strategic truths: automation is no longer optional, AI is moving from experimentation to operating model change, and value creation will come from services layered on connectivity, not from connectivity itself.

Below, we outline our key takeaways from MWC26 and what they mean for operators, vendors, and investors as they navigate the market's next phase.

  1. Automation is the only viable endgame — but the path is unclear

    The dominant theme at MWC26 was not generative AI; it was autonomy. The industry has moved decisively from “human in the loop” to “human as orchestrator”, with clear intent to progress toward fully autonomous networks. What stood out, however, was the lack of clarity on how operators get there: automation is being discussed at scale, but remains fragmented across domains (RAN, core, OSS/BSS, service assurance).

    Many demonstrations were compelling, but they were still early, brittle, and difficult to industrialize. Level 4/5 autonomy is widely referenced, yet few operators can articulate a credible, staged roadmap to reach it.

    Implication: Automation is now a strategic necessity, not an item on the innovation agenda. The winners will be those that translate autonomy into operational cost reduction, service reliability, and speed to market, not those with the most advanced demos.

    Key discussion topics

    • What will minimum viable autonomy actually look like by 2027–2028?
    • Which domains should be automated first to unlock real P&L impact?
    • How to avoid creating a new generation of brittle, AI-driven complexity.

  2. AI is everywhere, but value remains elusive

    AI was omnipresent at MWC26, but the tone has shifted. There were fewer “AI for everything” narratives and a greater focus on specific, production-grade use cases, growing realism about data quality, integration effort, and ROI. 

    Operators openly acknowledged: 

    • AI value is constrained by poor data foundations.
    • Many use cases plateau quickly without process and operating model change.
    • Differentiation will come from domain-specific AI, not generic models.

    At the same time, AI is reshaping power dynamics: software and platform players are expanding aggressively into traditional telco territory. The risk of being “locked into” large AI and software ecosystems is now as real as historical original equipment manufacturer (OEM) lock-in. 

    Implication: AI is no longer a technology discussion; it is a strategic control-point question. Telcos must decide where to differentiate, where to partner, and where to deliberately commoditize.

    Key discussion topics

    • Which AI use cases genuinely scale beyond pilots?
    • How to embed telco IP into AI systems rather than surrender it?
    • Where does AI shift bargaining power away from network OEMs toward software and platform players?

  3. Networks as a platform: a familiar idea, now under pressure to deliver

    The concept of “network as a platform” has resurfaced, but with a more sober tone than in previous cycles. Operators broadly accept that value sits above connectivity. We also saw private networks, slicing, and industry solutions are back on the agenda

    Growth is happening, but unevenly and often driven by IT buyers rather than telco buyers.

    Private 5G in particular shows renewed momentum, yet:

    • The sales motion looks far closer to enterprise IT than traditional telecoms.
    • Many customers want outcomes, not infrastructure ownership.
    • Scaling remains operationally hard for operators built around consumer and wholesale models.

    Implication: The opportunity is real, but it demands new go-to-market models, new partners, and new economics.

    Key discussion topics

    • How to redesign enterprise go-to-market (GTM) for platform-based services.
    • Whether private networks should be owned, partnered, or productized.
    • How to avoid repeating the “digital services” disappointments of the past decade.

  4. The AI-segment competition is heating up, and the industry is divided

    One of the most contentious undercurrents at MWC26 was the return of vertically integrated ecosystems, with large vendors and software platforms clearly pursuing end-to-end control. Smaller players continue to argue for open collaboration and modularity. Operators are caught between speed, integration risk, and long-term dependency. There is no consensus yet, but there is growing unease.

    Implication: Strategic optionality is becoming a scarce asset. Decisions made in the next 12–24 months will shape operators’ freedom of action for years to come.

    Key discussion topics

    • How to assess ecosystem risk alongside technology capability.
    • Where vertical integration accelerates value, and where it destroys it.
    • How to preserve leverage in a consolidating supplier landscape.

  5. The future is arriving slowly but surely

    • Smart AI glasses and contact lenses were on display.
    • What we liked: Showcase of heavy AI processing being offloaded to the 6G edge.
    • Stronger real use cases on humanoid AI robotics.
    • What we liked: Growing momentum for robotics across companies and geographies. 
    • What we liked: Growing momentum for robotics across companies and geographies. 
    • Roadmap and investments for data centers in space are firming up.
    • What we liked: the European Space Agency dedicating €100 million to bridge the gap between space and mobile networks, with a major portion dedicated to data centers.
    • 6G is not yet around the corner, but previews are now available.
    • What we liked: Integrated sensors and communication, the radio network acting as a “radar” to identify drones in real-time. Expected applications include smart cities, defense, and healthcare.

  6. What was unsaid was just as revealing

    Several anticipated topics were notably muted:

    • LEO satellites: acknowledged as a threat but rarely discussed openly.
    • New revenue at scale: still more of an aspiration than a reality.
    • Radical business-model changes: discussed cautiously, if at all.

     This silence is telling. 

    Implication: The industry knows disruption is coming, but is still uncomfortable confronting its full consequences.

    Key discussion topics

    • What is the five-year outlook for non-terrestrial networks (NTNs), and how should terrestrial networks respond?
    • What does radical restructuring look like, and should operators be laying the groundwork now?

 What This Means for the Industry

MWC26 was not about optimism or pessimism. It was about hard choices.

Telcos are entering a phase where:

  • Automation is unavoidable
  • AI must earn its keep
  • Ecosystem decisions will define winners and losers
  • Incrementalism is no longer enough

The question is no longer “what is possible?” It is “what do we commit to, and what do we stop doing?”

Thank you to Arpad Kiraly, Diane Leung, Federico Torri, Frederic Huet, Justin Jameson, Patrick Marshall, Ruchir Kalra, Satya Ghosh Ammu, and Ed Ellis for their contributions to this piece.

 

The views and opinions expressed in this insight are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Altman Solon.

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