Perspectives 2026: 26 industry predictions for the year ahead
£1,500.00 excl VAT
STL Partners’ 26 predictions for 2026, focusing on change and growth in the telco industry
Description
Format: PDF file
Pages: 8
Author: Marina Koytcheva
Publication date: November 2025
At STL Partners, our focus is always on the future of the telco industry and the opportunities for growth. At the end of a fast-paced 2025, all STL domain experts have shared their expectations for the year ahead. Our 26 predictions for 2026 focus on change – discrete events or developments. We have stayed away from discussing the elements of the market or telco business that will continue to evolve naturally on the set path. One thing that stands out in our expectations is that 2026 will be a year of challenges, ranging from strong competition to hiccups in AI and cybersecurity threats. Yet, that does not diminish the attractiveness of the opportunities we see across technology innovation and business growth. AI will remain at the very core of all telco activity, while in some parts of the world sovereignty will also be a key topic. We cannot have predictions without touching on the ever-changing competition from adjacent industries, and often from partners, or without mentioning new market darlings: data centres, satellites or quantum. The future is always uncertain. But we hope that our Perspectives 2026 will provoke thinking and discussions. Let us know if you particularly agree or disagree with any of our predictions!
Our insight covers the following key points:
- Technology innovation
- Sovereignty and geopolitics
- Market structure
- Business growth
- AI
- Competition and adjacent industries
- Data centres
Technologies and industry terms referenced include: new market darlings: data centres, satellites or quantum.
