European 5G at MWC 2026

This IDC Market Perspective discusses the highlights of European 5G at MWC 2026. At MWC 2026, European 5G entered a phase that shifts from deployment to monetization. While coverage and device penetration are largely complete, operators continue to face challenges in translating 5G investments into revenue growth. The event highlighted a convergence of trends, like AI-native operations, network APIs, edge computing, and hybrid connectivity, as key enablers of future value creation. Enterprise remains the primary monetization domain, driven by solution-led approaches integrating connectivity with industry-specific applications, while consumer monetization is evolving toward experience-based models. However, progress remains uneven, constrained by limited 5G SA scale, fragmented ecosystems, and execution complexity. The next phase of 5G in Europe will depend on the ability of operators to move beyond connectivity and position themselves as platform enablers within broader digital ecosystems."European operators have largely completed the 5G deployment phase and are now focused on 5G SA deployments. However, monetization remains the missing piece," says Alejandro Cadenas, associated vice president for Telco Research, IDC Global. "The industry is now moving toward platform-driven models where value will depend less on connectivity and more on how effectively operators integrate AI, APIs, and ecosystem partnerships into scalable, outcome-based services."