Is MWC Barcelona writing off 5G’s potential too early?

Three of the six main themes of MWC Barcelona are AI-focused. Over 70 agenda items have ‘AI’ in the title, while hardly any have ‘5G’. It’s quite a statement. AI is everywhere, but is MWC Barcelona writing off 5G too early?

Here are just a few telecommunications-centric alternative topics that MWC Barcelona could be focusing on at MWC Barcelona 2026:

5G evolution and monetisation
Sustainability and Scope 3 emission reduction
Escalating security threats
Fair share network infrastructure solutions
Closing digital divides

However, AI is front and centre, and the agenda effectively writes 5G out of conversations when telecom operators need to maximise 5G returns.

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Why is 5G being written off so early?

There are multiple reasons 5G isn’t featuring highly in MWC Barcelona.

The killer 5G app never appeared.
Commentators are increasingly focusing on AI, 6G and satellite communications.
5G was oversold.

However, it’s not 5G’s fault that everyone was promised fleets of drones, automated smart homes, and eye-watering download speeds. The same story occurred with 4G. So-called thought leaders overpromised, which led to the same unwarranted disappointment with 5G.

Is 5G achieving its potential?

Here are three reasons 5G might not be performing as well as we expected:

In addition to high investment costs, COVID-19 delayed 5G rollouts.
Tariffs and chip shortages delayed manufacturers from producing devices that can effectively leverage 5G, limiting our ability to experience its capabilities.
Legislation around Huawei forced operators into rip-and-replace scenarios, delaying 5G implementations.
As a result, we haven’t reached the point we expected with 5G.

Why is MWC Barcelona 2026 focusing so heavily on AI?

For a few years, there have been murmurs of displeasure about the MWC Barcelona agenda. Is it too focused on prioritising adjacent technologies above core telecommunication priorities?

Many people remember the hype around the metaverse and how organisers dedicated much of the 2023 agenda to it. While AI has shown more immediate practicality than the metaverse, the agenda once again feels driven by hype.

Perhaps MWC Barcelona’s focus on AI is an attempt to attract big tech companies. There’s serious money swirling between the so-called Magnificent Seven big tech companies. They comprise over 30% of the S&P 500’s value and have a combined market cap of over $20 trillion.

There’s so much going on with 5G, it’s a pity more attention isn’t being given to it.

For example, there’s:

- 5G optimisation.
- 5G Advanced.
- 5G Private networks.
- Scaling up 5G Standalone rollouts.
- 5G spectrum slicing.

It’s fun to look at the future, but looking too far ahead might make you trip over your own feet.

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“Squire Technologies has its feet firmly on the ground, working with customers and partners to solve real telecommunication challenges. While we are excited about the possibilities of AI, we aren’t letting it distract us.”

Ben Teversham, Sales Manager at Squire Technologies

Squire Technologies will be at MWC Barcelona 2026 as a member of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland pavilion. You can find us in Hall 7 on Stand 7B29.

Learn more about Squire Technologies by visiting www.squire-technologies.com

References
https://www.juniperresearch.com/resources/blog/5g-roaming-trends-2023-beyond-blog/
https://www.lightreading.com/5g/huawei-swap-out-in-uk-has-become-a-costly-and-tortuous-slog
https://www.fool.com/research/magnificent-seven-sp-500/
https://www.mwcbarcelona.com/agenda

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