This year, the conversations at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 in Barcelona shifted dramatically. While previous years focused heavily on intrinsic challenges for the telecom sector—the need for 5G monetization, the untapped enterprise opportunity, the calls for “fair share”, and the need for network consolidation—this year’s show focused more on upside. The show floor and our discussions were dominated by opportunities around topics such as satellite, sovereignty, amidst the emerging age of AI, and with a view towards the arrival of 6G. Following the event, our Ookla Research analysts—Mike Dano, Mark Giles, Luke Kehoe, and Karim  Yaici—sat down to cut through the noise.

The mainstreaming of satellite and NTN

Satellite connectivity and Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) have officially moved from a niche talking point to a core architectural consideration.

Key announcements:

• Starlink’s Next-Gen Push: Starlink held a massive keynote to announce its second-generation satellite constellation for direct-to-device (D2D), slated to begin offering services in 2028. Deutsche Telekom was announced as their first official customer for this new constellation. The introduction of the “Starlink Mobile” brand looks to be an important but still early stepping stone in a journey toward a more fully-fledged mobile service. 
• The AST SpaceMobile Counter: AST SpaceMobile continues to make a huge amount of noise, bolstered by a major pre-MWC announcement regarding their deepening partnership and joint venture with Vodafone through Satellite Connect Europe

Our take: Low-Earth-orbit (LEO)-based D2D  satellite connectivity is graduating from a novelty feature for hikers into a standard “resilience layer” for mass-market mobile networks. The super-bundle of the future will integrate fiber, cellular, and satellite into a single service that automatically fails over when one link drops. What we are witnessing is a massive race to conquer space.

On one side, you have the operator-backed AST SpaceMobile, which operates without a consumer-facing brand and continues to face delays in constellation buildout. On the other, you have Starlink, which has been incredibly strategic about exposing its brand everywhere,from airline Wi-Fi to fixed broadband, and now mobile. The big question moving forward is whether Starlink’s D2D offering stays at that or is just a stepping stone toward a much more capable, hybrid space-terrestrial mobile offering in the future.

5G-Advanced, 5G Standalone, and the 6G horizon

The industry is balancing the need to monetize existing 5G investments with the architectural groundwork required for 6G.

Key announcements:

• 5G slice validation: Ookla showcased its own collaboration at the event: an industry-first methodology for testing 5G network slices, co-developed with Ericsson. This specialized proof of concept in the Speedtest app enables real-time validation of differentiated 5G connectivity for ultra-low latency and mission-critical reliability (think slices optimized for gaming or video conferencing).
• 6G timelines: SoftBank laid down a marker, stating they expect to deliver initial 6G services in 2029, emphasizing the need for massive 400 MHz bands to operate effectively.
• AI-RAN commercialization: Nokia executives promised commercial AI-RAN deployments (in collaboration with Nvidia) by 2027, bridging the gap between 5G-Advanced and 6G.

Our take: 5G Standalone (SA) was frequently mentioned as a prerequisite and stepping stone to 6G networks. While our data, released just before MWC, shows huge variation in 5G SA adoption globally, it’s clear that leading operators are leaning into the technology, to launch new services and drive competitive advantage.

When it comes to 6G, the technical momentum is real, but it is tempered by economic caution. Many European operators remain hesitant about undertaking another massive capital expenditure so soon. However, the U.S. likely targeting the 2028 Olympics for early pre-commercial 6G deployment creates a global race dynamic, with rival markets and even operators within the U.S., forced to respond.

Digital sovereignty across the stack

The need for secure, localized telecom and cloud infrastructure is set to become a defining procurement criterion for enterprises and the public sector, especially in Europe. There is now a rigid demand for independent, Europe-anchored solutions that remain within local control. This drive for sovereignty isn’t just about satellite; it extends across the entire telecom stack, particularly the cloud.

Key announcements:

• Deutsche Telekom’s Cloud Ambitions: DT delivered a standout presentation at its booth, detailing its heavy investment in its cloud business. It noted it is currently at roughly 80% feature parity with AWS and is pushing for 100% by year-end, with plans to expand its cloud availability regions beyond the DACH.
• Orange’s Pan-European Sovereign Edge: Orange joined forces with Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica, TIM, and Vodafone to launch the “European Edge Continuum.” This first-of-its-kind federated edge cloud allows enterprises to deploy applications seamlessly across all five operator networks via a single entry point, providing a secure, sovereign alternative to U.S.-based public hyperscalers.
• Post-quantum security: Several Tier-1 operators showcased active implementations of Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) across their networks, ensuring that sovereign data remains secure against future quantum computing threats.

Our take: Digital sovereignty is driving renewed focus from leading telcos in their B2B operations, as demand rises for local platforms capable of hosting sovereign AI models and evolving cloud workloads. For telcos, this is a massive B2B opportunity. By offering secure, localized solutions that align with national data regulations, operators can position themselves as the active shield of the digital economy, moving far beyond basic connectivity.

AI in telecom: moving beyond an efficiency play

AI was omnipresent at MWC26, but the narrative has evolved from generative AI chatbots to “agentic AI” and network-level intelligence.

Key announcements:

• AI-Enhanced Calling: Asian operators (like LG Uplus and China Mobile), along with Deutsche Telekom, are injecting new innovation into a historically stagnant area: the calling experience, using AI for real-time translation and network-driven functions like enhanced interactive video. Deutsche Telekom showcased similar examples, drawing on recent announcements around AI-translated calling features in the U.S.  
• AT&T’s connected AI: AT&T outlined its industrial edge strategy, partnering with major hyperscalers to position its fiber and edge infrastructure as the backbone for enterprise AI workloads.

Our take: AI is framing nearly every technical discussion in telecom, but it’s clear that most of the focus has been on using AI to streamline operations and target cost-cutting. MWC 26 saw this evolve, with developments targeting improvements to the user experience – most notably for voice services, and a renewed focus on the edge with AI-RAN.