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"Telecom Trends 2026"

Thursday, January 22, 2026, 11:00 AM EST

Telecom Trends 2026 Session 1: The Network Evolution Path from 5G to 6G - Thursday, January 22, 2026

The mobile industry is working to standardize 6G for deployment from 2030 onward.

This session explores requirements and proposals for a 6G architecture that will allow operators to carry forward 5G investment and operating expertise as they seek to rapidly adopt new 6G capabilities.

At this early stage of 6G development, it is essential to consider the economics and practicalities of the transition path from 5G and the implications for the 6G system design.

Among the topics, this session will address:

Timeline and purpose of 6G
How 5G standalone (SA) and 5G Advanced set the path to 6G
Day 1 6G SA architecture choices
Designing and operating autonomous AI-native networks
A look ahead to the demands of advanced at-scale services in 2035+

This session will be hosted by Gabriel Brown, Senior Principal Analyst, Mobile Networks – GTM Telecom Insights and Advisory, Omdia

Agenda:

11:00 - 11:20 am ET - Analyst Presentation (20 mins)

11:20 - 11:50 am ET - Trends Discussion (30 mins): Gabriel Brown, Senior Principal Analyst, Mobile Networks, GTM Telecom Insights and Advisory, Omdia
Fran Heeran, Vice President, Global Telecommunications Business, Red Hat

11:50 - 12:00 pm ET - Q&A (10 mins)

12:00 Noon - End

Telecom Trends 2026 Session 2: Automation, APIs, and Security - Thursday, January 22, 2026

In 2025, progressive service providers (SPs) took initial steps to leverage automation to enhance service delivery, operational efficiency and harden security postures. In parallel, SPs also intensified their focus on monetizing APIs.

This telecom trends symposium will consider the progress they made in 2025 and provide an update on the latest automation, API, and security trends.

Among the topics, this session will address:

Leveraging AI to automate and enhance network performance
Creating a consistent any cloud threat detection and policy environment
Utilizing AI to generate self-optimizing workflows to streamline operations
The necessary steps to enforce data governance and protect subscriber data
Monetizing the network by building and exposing network-aware apps via APIs and the Microsoft Marketplace

This session will be hosted by Jim Hodges, Research Director, Cloud and Security - GTM Telecom Insights and Advisory, Omdia

Agenda

12:00 -12:20 pm ET - Analyst Presentation (20 mins)

12:20 - 12:50 pm ET - Trends Discussion (30 mins)

Jim Hodges, Research Director, Cloud and Security - GTM Telecom Insights and Advisory, Omdia

12:50 - 1:00 pm ET - Q&A (10 mins)

1:00 pm ET - End

Telecom Trends 2026 Session 3: Empowering Data Through Analytics - Thursday, January 22, 2026

Data analytics is revolutionizing telecoms, enabling operators to identify key patterns and trends that enhance customer experience, improve efficiency, and inform future investment.

In today's data-driven landscape, decisions must integrate information from across the business—networks, customer services, IT systems, and processes—while leveraging advanced AI to unlock deeper insights. This session explores 2025 advancements enabling operators to modernize their operations with intelligent analytics platforms.

Among the topics, this session will address:

How AI-powered analytics and automation frameworks support performance optimization, efficiency, and hyper-personalization
Deployment strategies for real-time analytics and AI processing across on-prem, cloud, and edge environments
Techniques for processing and analyzing large data volumes efficiently
Integrating big data frameworks and data pipelines for real-time analytics
Preparing for 6G with advanced data analytics strategies

This session will be hosted by Ruth Brown, Principal Analyst, Mobile Networks - GTM Telecom Insights and Advisory, Omdia

Agenda

1:00-1:20 - Analyst Presentation (20 mins)

1:20 - 1:50 - Trends Discussion (30 mins)