Juniper Research’s 2026 trends report highlights how AI, eSIM convergence, 6G innovation, and satellites are reshaping global connectivity

In its new report, Top 10 Telecoms & Connectivity Trends 2026, Juniper Research** **identifies the technologies and business models that will define the next phase of digital connectivity, from AI-driven customer interactions and converged MVNO-eSIM platforms to terahertz spectrum breakthroughs and multi-orbit satellite networks.

Overall, the forecast paints a picture of a telecom industry shifting from infrastructure to intelligence, according to Sam Barker, the firm’s VP of telecoms market research. “This year’s trends demonstrate how telecoms is moving beyond infrastructure towards intelligence, as automation, security, and customer experience become central to growth. Operators can no longer compete on network strength alone. Success now depends on how intelligently they use emerging technologies to deliver value, efficiency, and trust across every layer of connectivity.”

Below, we’ve highlighted five of the most impactful trends shaping telecom’s near future.

AI agents will redefine customer interaction

The first trend Juniper Research identified is that AI agents are increasingly automating tasks within customer interactions by connecting to tools and data sources to execute multi-step objectives.

These agents are evolving into modular, composable components that integrate with communication platforms such as Communications Platform-as-a-Service (CPaaS), Contact Centre-as-a-Service (CCaaS), and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, adding a new layer of automation to customer engagement. Juniper Research expects commercial deployment of AI agents for customer support to scale significantly in 2026, as these use cases are easier to implement and offer clear ROI. “AI agents for customer support use cases will be the first to be scaled within customer communications; these use cases are easy to identify and offer clearer return on investment compared with other applications of AI agents within the communications space,” the report states.

Initially, Juniper believes that AI agents will be scaled through enterprise websites and apps, with potential expansion into marketing and conversational commerce. “Thus, the leading communications platforms will not only be looking to offer multiple agents to automate tasks across customer support use cases but will also be looking at the implementation of AI agents for marketing and conversational commerce use cases,” it said, adding that these use cases have the potential for higher margins. Further, emerging monetization models, particularly pay-per-usage and outcome-based approaches, are expected to drive adoption and cost predictability in 2026.

One notable example is the AI assistant added to Verizon’s “My Verizon” app. Developed in partnership with Google Cloud using the Gemini model family, this assistant handles tasks like upgrades, billing inquiries, adding lines, and account management. It claimed that its 28,000-agent service team saw a nearly 40% increase in sales via the service team and call handling times after the launch.

The carrier this year also introduced the full-scale version of “Customer Champions” — human agents augmented by AI tools to manage more complex issues end‑to‑end (the AI handles routing, context, etc.).

MVNOs and travel eSIMs converge

Juniper Research noted that because MVNO revenue is more predictable than eSIM revenue, MVNOs are a more attractive option for serving global roaming customers. Therefore, continued the firm, those using an MVNO-in-a-Box provider that also offers travel eSIM enablement will be more popular. “As a result, these enablers will offer combined solutions that provide a single, white-label platform allowing customers to manage both domestic and travel plans in one app,” the report stated. By 2026, Juniper anticipates that eSIM technology will evolve to support seamless global add-ons through a single installation, simplifying the user experience and encouraging repeat purchases.

“In 2026, businesses seeking to enter the telecoms market will offer both solutions together; with MVNO services providing the recurring revenue and travel eSIMs providing an additional revenue stream,” states the report. “This will be enabled by the CaaS [Connectivity-as-a-Service] model, where MVNO-in-a-Box and travel eSIM enablement will become one solution.”

Several MVNOs already offer SIMs and eSIMs for travelers, including GigSky and BICs.

MVNO launches across industries

The MVNO market is “thriving” and “growing,” according to Juniper Research, which credits Telecommunications-as-a-Service (TaaS) as a key driver of this momentum. “The development of TaaS solutions has been critical to the growth in fintech MVNOs being launched recently,” it noted, citing examples such as Brazil-based Nubank, Revolut, and Klarna. “The TaaS model is a key enabler of these MVNO launches, as it provides the flexibility for fintechs to move quickly and have a streamlined entry into mobile services markets.”

Looking ahead to 2026, Juniper expects the next wave of MVNO growth to come from non-traditional industries — including sports teams, charities, and retailers. The TaaS model will be central to this expansion, simplifying MVNO deployment while supporting smaller, niche operators.

We are already seeing this trend playing out. Community Fibre, a U.K. broadband provider, plans to launch an eSIM-first mobile MVNO in mid-2025, leveraging its ~400,000 customers to cross-sell mobile services. FC Barcelona, through its “Barça Mobile” initiative, is preparing to launch MVNO services in 2025, starting with a global travel eSIM across more than 170 countries and later expanding to full mobile and fiber offerings in Spain.

In the U.S., Charter Communications and Comcast** **— via their partnerships with T-Mobile US — are developing a business-focused MVNO service slated to launch in 2026, highlighting how the model is evolving to serve both consumer and enterprise segments.

6G research accelerates — Terahertz spectrum a focus

While the first commercial 6G services are not expected until 2030, serious research is already underway. Juniper believes that 2026 will see an acceleration of overall 6G research, but that there will be a particular emphasis on Terahertz (THz) spectrum innovation. The THz range is higher than millimeter wave and is defined by IEEE and the ITU as being between 300 GHz and 3 THz. However, it’s worth pointing out that the industry discussions and research literature often consider anything beyond 100 GHz to be terahertz territory.

Beyond the technical parameters, Juniper sees THz spectrum research as critical to avoiding past 5G missteps, especially operators’ failure to adequately monetize new capabilities. “As operators balance the need for increased monetization with the need for efficiency, Juniper Research believes that the Terahertz spectrum will be required owing to its ultra-high throughput rates, precision in location-based services, and better spectrum efficiency.”

It added that in developing 6G networks, the focus should shift from pure speed gains to efficiency and modularity. “This will position operators to benefit from emerging monetization models, notably usage-based pricing of networks,” the report concluded.

That vision is already reflected in current lab work. For example, researchers at SUNY Polytechnic Institute and Florida International University last month claimed terahertz breakthroughs for 6G networks. The pair built a J-band terahertz (THz) testbed operating between 220 GHz and 330 GHz to study how signals behave at ultra-high frequencies. They found that THz waves exhibit an extended near-field region and asymmetrical uplink-downlink behavior, making traditional propagation models unreliable. The findings provide an early framework for designing 6G systems that use THz bands for faster, more efficient wireless communication.

“The terahertz band represents the next great leap in communication technology,” said Research Director Dr. Arjun Singh. “Our work provides the experimental setup for understanding how these signals behave as they transition between near-field and far-field regions. That understanding is essential to building the next generation of high-speed, energy-efficient, and secure wireless systems.”

Multi-orbit satellite networks

Finally, let’s take a look at the increasing role of satellites in global connectivity. “The expansion of satellite constellations shows no sign of slowing,” said Juniper. Starlink, for example, has filed a request with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to launch up to 15,000 satellites, while three Chinese satellite providers each have plans for constellations of more than 10,000 satellites. Amazon’s Project Kuiper has also pledged to launch more than 3,000 satellites by July 2029.

However, Juniper noted that while Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites no doubt dominate much of the non-terrestrial network discussions, 2026 will see a shift, with satellite providers increasingly focusing their strategies on the integration of satellites across different orbits. “These multi-orbit strategies enable the users of NTNs to benefit from the advantages provided by each orbit, with services being optimized based on the needs of the applications,” the report stated. “This flexible and dynamic use of network resources will lay the groundwork for next-generation connectivity services, enabling applications to leverage not only terrestrial networks and NTNs, but also different orbits from a single provider.”

For the other five trends, take a look at the full report here.

Catherine Sbeglia Nin

Catherine is the Managing Editor for RCR Wireless News, where she covers topics such as Wi-Fi, network infrastructure, AI and edge computing. She also produced and hosted Arden Media’s podcast Well, technically... After studying English and Film & Media Studies at The University of Rochester, she moved to Madison, WI. Having already lived on both coasts, she thought she’d give the middle a try. So far, she likes it very much.