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How European Telcos Are Deploying AI Across RAN, Transport, Fibre, and Home Networks

Telecom spectrum strategy 2026 is no longer a technical planning exercise. The spectrum decisions telcos make in the next 12 months will define their network capabilities, competitive positioning and capital efficiency for the next decade. This has moved from network teams to the boardroom — driven by looming allocation cycles, renewal deadlines, and the recognition that spectrum is as much a financial and competitive asset as it is a technical one.

Benjamin Vigouroux will be speaking at Network X 2026 Operator Address: What should be the role of telcos in the AI era?

Europe's fibre market shifts from deployment to subscriber conversion. Omdia analysis reveals adoption gaps and strategies for maximising network ROI.

Fixed‑mobile convergence has circulated as a strategic talking point for the better part of a decade—often positioned as the next frontier for telco growth but rarely accompanied by hard evidence of commercial success. That is changing in 2026. FMC is no longer a pilot programme or a bundling experiment; it is a measurable revenue driver for telcos that have moved beyond the hype cycle and into operational execution.

Network slicing pilots are everywhere. Commercial deployments at enterprise scale? Much rarer. But 2026 is the year that gap closes for telcos who solve the packaging problem. The technical capability has been proven; what separates pilot from revenue is how telcos translate guaranteed SLAs into sellable enterprise products — and whether enterprise buyers trust those guarantees enough to build on them.

Industry leaders reveal the critical technologies and challenges driving transformation across mobile network infrastructure, from building cloud-native networks to AI integration.

Speed is just the start. Telenor shares how AI is unlocking operational efficiency, governance frameworks, and measurable business value across security operations — from data challenges to responsible AI principles.

Watch Full Interview:

1. In the next 5 years, where do you see the biggest untapped revenue or value creation opportunities for fibre operators - whether that's new services, partnerships, business models, or market segments?

2. What do you see as the biggest capability gap or organizational challenge operators are facing when shifting from a build mentality to an operational and commercial one?

3. What do you see as the biggest threat to the long-term sustainability and profitability of fibre operators in Europe?

4. What are you looking forward to most at Network X this year? And what do you hope attendees take away from your session?

Watch Full Interview:
What do you see as the biggest commercial opportunity for network slicing, and which industry verticals are best positioned to drive early adoption and revenue growth in your market?
What's the single biggest challenge in scaling network slicing commercially, and how are you addressing it?
What are the primary risks to service quality and reliability when managing multiple network slices, and what safeguards have you implemented to mitigate these risks at scale?
What are you looking forward to most at Network X this year? And what do you hope attendees take away from your session?

2026 marks a critical turning point for 5G RAN strategy. After years of trials, proofs of concept, and shifting industry narratives, the conversation has moved beyond abstract debates about disaggregation to practical, high‑stakes decisions shaped by 5G Standalone rollout, expiring long‑term supply contracts, and new spectrum across DACH and CEE.