Two decades after Barcelona first opened its door to the global mobile industry, Mobile World Congress (MWC) came back to Fira, bigger and more influential than ever. MWC 2026 just wrapped up under the theme “The IQ Era,” which reflected the industry’s belief that connectivity and AI are no longer separate conversations.
From the opening keynote, the tone was set as GSMA Director Vivek Badrinath took the stage and delivered a blunt message: the industry has unfinished business. Even though mobile technology now contributes $7.6 trillion to the global economy, digital threats are growing faster than defenses can keep up with, 5G rollout remains unfinished, and AI’s promise is still unevenly distributed.
Across keynotes, product launches, and exhibition halls, the industry outlined what the next phase of the mobile era might look like.
The Pivotal Role of 5G Standalone (SA) Core
The 5G SA core network was presented as the key foundation for unlocking advanced 5G capabilities and enabling future 6G deployments. Henri Jardle of Ericsson emphasized that features, such as network slicing, automation, and advanced positioning rely on the SA core rather than the older 4G core that many operators still rely on. So far, roughly 90 operators have deployed a 5G SA core, and 181 operators in 73 countries are making investments in standalone networks. Some use cases include mobile video conferencing and new 5G-Advanced services like RedCap and IoT and low-latency video for applications like high-quality mobile gaming and automated construction video.
The SA core is also enabling new capabilities such as AI-enhanced precise positioning, which can locate devices indoors within a few centimeters using real-time kinematic positioning. Looking ahead, Jardle noted that while rapid AI innovation may require faster development cycles beyond traditional telecom standard processes, 6G (expected around 2029-2030) will rely on the 5G SA core as its foundation.
The Rise of AI-Native Telecom Networks
The shift to AI-native telecom networks, where AI is integrated into network operations rather than simply supporting them, was another major focus across the sector. Operators are increasingly exploring AI systems that can identify congestion, anticipate failures, and automatically optimize performance in real-time, rather than relying on human monitoring and reactive troubleshooting. At the same time, organizations are experimenting with ways to directly integrate computing power into network infrastructure so that AI workloads can run closer to where data is generated and consumed. This means that the radio access network is evolving beyond its traditional role of managing spectrum.
The telecom ecosystem is also changing because of this shift. Nvidia announced collaborations with operators and vendors to develop open and secure AI-native network platforms. Similar goals are being pushed by industry initiatives like the AI-RAN Alliance, which represents a larger effort to integrate AI computing with telecom infrastructure. Potential applications were demonstrated throughout the event, from voice services and network management powered by AI to systems that improve energy efficiency or allow operators to use spare computing power as edge AI resources.
The Pillars of Tomorrow’s Network
One thing became clear at MWC26: the industry is no longer debating whether AI belongs in the network; it’s deciding how deep it goes. The discussions in Barcelona focused more on execution than possibility, from the push to complete 5G SA infrastructure to the rise of AI-native operations. The “IQ Era” isn’t that far off, it’s already underway.
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