Edge AI, data sovereignty, and monetisation

Telecoms strategies in 2026 must aim to strike a balance when it comes to edge AI, data sovereignty, and the monetisation of media.

2026 represents a complex convergence of operational automation, regulatory compliance, and hardware capability. The narrative for the coming year moves beyond simple connectivity speed and focuses on how carriers and enterprises utilise intelligent networks to drive efficiency and manage data residency risks.

The integration of AI into channel businesses has transitioned from an experimental phase to an operational requirement. Gavin Jones, Director of Wholesale Partners at BT Wholesale, suggests that automation and AI will be essential for channel businesses in the coming year.

The immediate value lies in service desk optimisation. Jones notes that intelligent service-desk bots and predictive analytics continue to alter operations, with partners reporting that AI agents have already created faster resolution times for common issues. This reduction in mean time to resolution (MTTR) is a tangible metric for IT service management (ITSM) success.

However, the adoption of these tools creates a secondary effect on workforce allocation. The efficiency gained allows partners and their customers to dedicate time to higher-value activities that drive growth and profitability. This suggests that as routine maintenance and ticketing become automated, IT teams must pivot toward outcome-based engagements.

Despite the prevalence of automation across the telecoms industry and beyond, the human element will remain a differentiating factor in vendor selection in 2026. Jones highlights a transition from technical jargon to customer-focused conversation. As automation manages routine tasks, the human side of service delivery – encompassing trust, advisory capability, and partner culture – increases in importance.

While embracing technologies such as 5G, and cybersecurity remains necessary, channel partners cannot underestimate the value of trust and simplicity.

Data sovereignty, network resilience, and on-device intelligence

The physical location of data processing is becoming as important as the speed of transfer. Regulatory environments are tightening, leading to a scenario where data sovereignty will be essential in 2026.

Enterprises are increasingly demanding high-performing, low-latency networks, yet data residency is becoming a vital factor when selecting vendors. This pressure forces channel partners to utilise networks that span the UK and guarantee secure foundations.

This environment creates a specific challenge for multi-national network architecture. In 2026, leaders must audit their current telecoms providers to ensure they meet these residency requirements without sacrificing performance. Jones states that “Network 5.0” has already arrived, establishing a new benchmark for performance and compliance. This concept of Network 5.0 implies an infrastructure layer that is not only fast, but also natively aware of compliance boundaries.

On the hardware front, the capabilities of end-user devices are expanding to support local artificial intelligence workloads. Phil Bramson, GM of App Media at Digital Turbine, predicts that 2026 will bring more phones equipped with onboard generative AI chips, driving a new wave of upgrades.

This hardware evolution impacts enterprise mobile device management (MDM) strategies. These devices enable on-device processing that personalises every interaction. For enterprise developers, this opens opportunities for contextual engagement and privacy-safe targeting.

“The next generation of mobile devices will be defined by intelligence, on top of speed,” explains Bramson. “Onboard AI processing will allow experiences to happen instantly and locally, opening the door to new kinds of contextual engagement that are more personal, private, and powerful.”

By processing data locally rather than in the cloud, enterprises can reduce latency and mitigate certain privacy risks associated with data transmission. This local processing capability allows the phone to become a dynamic media channel, potentially altering how businesses interact with mobile-first customers.

Telecoms monetisation and the carrier-media convergence in 2026

The business model for carriers is also expanding beyond traditional rate plans. Bramson observes that in 2025, carriers experimented with content-based revenue streams, ranging from curated news experiences to lockscreen advertisements. While some lockscreen initiatives proved short-lived, collaborations combining carrier reach with ad tech precision are driving strong early results.

This trend indicates that carriers are entering an era where connectivity is merely the starting point. In 2026, carriers will monetise their user base using distribution networks and first-party device data to power full-funnel commerce.“The carriers that build on this foundation will not only connect users, they will connect ecosystems,” Bramson states.

Furthermore, 2026 will see new ways to engage users, inspired by models like Uber’s in-app advertising, ranging from messaging-based interactions to cross-device experiences linking TV, mobile, and connected devices.

Unified communications and collaboration

The integration of voice services into collaboration platforms represents another area of consolidation. Jones predicts that digital voice services will become standard across collaboration platforms, prompting MSPs and resellers to bundle external calling directly into these tools.

This consolidation simplifies the IT stack. Channel partners must consider how communications can become increasingly unified and act quickly to secure a share of this market in 2026. For the enterprise, this means evaluating current telephony contracts and assessing the feasibility of merging voice and collaboration licences to reduce overhead.

The year 2026 presents a dual mandate for telecoms leaders: optimise internal operations through AI while navigating a more complex external ecosystem of data regulations and media-driven carrier models.

See also: Samsung and KT validate AI-RAN optimisation on live networks

Want to learn about the IoT from industry leaders? Check out IoT Tech Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is part of TechEx and is co-located with other leading technology events. Click here for more information.

Telecoms is powered by TechForge Media. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars here.

Tags: ai, automation, edge, monetisation, networks, resilience, sovereignty, telecoms