Top 5 Trends in Telecommunications Digital Services and Monetization to Watch in 2026

This IDC Market Perspective discusses how, in 2026, telecom providers are transforming into intelligent, AI-driven infrastructure platforms, moving beyond traditional connectivity to monetize programmable networks, sovereign AI, and standardized APIs. The top 5 trends are agentic AI operations, telco-led sovereign AI, network API monetization, 5G-Advanced (5GA) commercialization, and satellite-telco convergence. These shifts enable telcos to deliver differentiated, outcome-based services, expand digital reach, and secure new revenue streams, positioning them as central players in the next era of digital services and infrastructure. "The next phase of telco growth will be defined by execution rather than ambition, as operators scale agentic AI into operations, commercialize networks through APIs, anchor trust with AI sovereignty, and extend reach via satellite integration. Those that treat these shifts as a unified platform transformation will capture the greatest value," said Peter Chahal, research director, Worldwide Telecommunications, IDC.