The consulting firm Juniper Research has published its report, "Top 10 Telecoms & Connectivity Trends 2026", outlining the leading global developments expected in the communications sector next year.
These trends were identified through an analysis of Juniper Research's proprietary studies, forecasts, industry reports, market research, and expert insights.
Juniper Research's Top 10 Trends for 2026:
1. AI Agents Will Redefine Customer Interaction at Scale
AI agents will be embedded into existing communication platforms — such as CPaaS (Communications Platform as a Service), CCaaS (Contact Center as a Service), and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems — enabling more advanced automation of customer communication processes.
2. Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) and Travel eSIMs Converge to Serve the Global Roamer
The market will see operators’ new combined offerings for consumers.
3. RCS Business Messaging* Becomes Major Battleground for Fraud
Malicious actors are causing significant damage to operators, companies, and users. Projected subscriber losses from this fraud are estimated at nearly $500 million by 2026.
4. Digital Marketing Agencies and CPaaS Platforms Partner
As traditional SMS business declines due to rising costs and fraud, Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) solutions are increasingly being adopted by companies for marketing campaigns.
5. Multi-orbit Satellites Groundwork for Next-gen Connectivity
The number of satellites in orbit is projected to reach approximately 12,000 by the end of 2025 and exceed 20,000 by 2028.
6. Messaging and Voice Verification Converge to enhance corporate security
In B2C communications, this converged approach enables the precise identification of message senders and callers. Verification service providers are planning deeper collaboration.
7. Substantial Growth in MVNO Launches across multiple economic sectors
This substantial growth is being driven by two key factors: the evolution of the Telecom as a Service (TaaS) model and the proliferation of ready-made "MVNO in a Box" solutions.
8. 6G Research Accelerates, Focusing on Terahertz Spectrum Innovations.
9. Mass Adoption of KYC APIs on Digital Platforms
Age verification services, powered by a dedicated Age Verification API, are forecast to be the first widespread commercial application.
10. Consumer eSIM Provisioning Made easier
While Apple has already released eSIM-only smartphones in several regions, a complete industry-wide transition to this format is expected to take years.
*RCS Business Messaging (RBM) refers to the use of the Rich Communication Services (RCS) protocol for exchanging multimedia messages in business communications.
⠀
For the latest RCC news, subscribe to our official Telegram channel.