The networks that underpin modern life are entering a new phase in 2026. What happens when cyberattacks land before bullets? When telecom providers are judged not by uptime but by outcomes? When do network teams demand tools that actually simplify their jobs?
Industry leaders say the focus is shifting from experimentation to execution—and from capability to accountability.
Here’s what experts predict for connectivity in 2026.
Digital connectivity as the new front line
Nassima Auvray, Senior Vice President and Head of Defense & Security Division, Orange Business
“In modern conflict, the first hits often land on communications, not on the battlefield. Cyberattacks, drones, satellite disruption and influence operations now unfold at the same time, creating a level of complexity for which traditional systems were never built.
Operations span air, cyber, space and the information domain, which puts enormous strain on how forces stay connected. When drones, cyberactivity and electronic interference hit together, networks can struggle to cope, and teams can lose sight of what is happening almost instantly. This underscores the critical need for resilient, hybrid communications networks that integrate civilian and military infrastructure. Relying solely on traditional military systems is no longer sufficient.
Connectivity has become central to defense strategy. Forces are fighting for bandwidth and data access as much as for physical territory. If networks fail, vital intelligence can disappear.”
Automation measured by outcomes
Fernando Rionegro, Vice President Cloud and Network Services Europe, Nokia
“In 2026, telecom providers will rethink how they measure automation success. The focus will shift to tangible outcomes tied to SLAs, such as outages prevented, human hours saved and energy consumed.
Rather than automating everything, providers will focus on high-value scenarios such as fault detection, self-healing and energy optimization to deliver meaningful improvements in reliability and efficiency.
The notion of fully autonomous networks does not equate to a human-free future. Systems that combine automation with human insight will become the standard.”
Alok Shah, Vice President of Strategy & Marketing for the Networks Business at Samsung Electronics America
“As operators face soaring traffic demands and increasingly interdependent architecture elements, we expect 2026 to be the breakthrough year for AI to accelerate the industry’s journey toward fully autonomous networks. With AI-driven automation and agentic systems, we anticipate that networks will clearly shift from managed to self-managing. AI-enabled decision layers that combine capabilities like real-time telemetry, predictive modeling, autonomous agents and digital twins will empower networks to not only identify potential issues, but proactively address them – actualizing closed-loop processes.”
Milind Kulkarni, VP and Head of Wireless Labs, Interdigital
“AI-driven network paradigm is accelerating, ensuring that telecom remains a central enabler of the digital economy for the next decade. However, there is the practical risk that AI adoption may take longer to mature or commercialise than anticipated. For instance, truly autonomous networks run by AI are still in early days – scaling from demos to nationwide carrier networks will be challenging and require significant integration and trust in AI decisions.”
Simplifying complexity through experience
Chris Dyke, Sales Director UK & Ireland, Allied Telesis
“By 2026, unified orchestration tools will provide consistent, high-quality interfaces across on-premises and cloud environments. Network teams will expect intuitive visualizations and simplified controls that maintain operational consistency.”
AI, trust and simplicity in the channel
Gavin Jones, Director, Wholesale Partners, BT Wholesale
“AI and automation will be a must-have for channel businesses. Partners are already seeing faster resolution times, giving them more space to focus on higher-value activities.
As automation handles routine tasks — trust, advisory capability and outcome-based engagement — will matter more.
Digital voice services will become standard across collaboration platforms, reshaping customer expectations.”
Security, resilience and trust by design
Fernando Rionegro, Nokia
“Security can never be an afterthought. Autonomous networks will integrate real-time threat detection, DDoS mitigation, and crypto agility directly into their operational fabric.
Edge-first, AI-powered defense will become standard as terabit-scale DDoS attacks increase in frequency and speed.
The most advanced networks will not be those that automate the most tasks, but those that automate what matters: performance, security, resilience and trust.”