Insights from This Year’s MWC in Barcelona – Agentic AI and Indoor Solutions
MWC in Barcelona. Photo: Press.
This year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona didn’t bring any groundbreaking news, but rather an important realization: the market is maturing, and industry players must find new solutions and new ways to generate revenue. We at Allicon were there to take part in the latest trends. Telekomnyheterna’s Editor-in-Chief, Mats Roesgaard Sjödin, shares his three key takeaways from the event.
Mobile World Congress (MWC) is the world’s largest trade fair for the mobile and telecom industry. Each year, industry leaders, innovators, and tech companies gather to present the latest trends. Here are Mats Roesgaard Sjödin’s observations from his days in Barcelona.
What are your three key takeaways from this year’s event that Swedish operators should pay attention to?
“The biggest takeaway is that there weren’t any major news stories. But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Rather, it means the industry has reached a maturity phase where development is stabilizing, instead of constantly chasing the next big thing at breakneck speed.
My second insight is about AI. Many thought the AI hype had peaked last year, but development is ongoing. What we’re seeing now is something called ‘Agentic AI.’ This means that AI is being used more systematically to integrate information from multiple AI services. For example, in customer service, where an AI agent gathers data from various AI sources and creates real-time responses to optimize the customer experience.
The third and perhaps most important insight is about how the telecom industry will generate revenue moving forward. It’s clear that the industry is stuck chasing the next big service—the ‘next Spotify or Netflix.’ But I don’t think services like that will emerge in the same way anymore. Operators need to find other ways to ensure profitability.”
So, what’s the answer to how operators can generate revenue?
“What I see is that many operators are still chasing the dream of the one service that will change everything. But that’s not going to happen. Instead, I think they should focus on areas like improving security. Here, operators have a huge opportunity, especially when it comes to indoor coverage. And that’s where you at Allicon come in, providing strong indoor coverage in different environments. If operators can generate revenue by improving coverage indoors—even better coverage—then that’s where the money is. Security is a major issue right now, and everyone wants stable and secure coverage.”
Shared indoor solutions, so-called "neutral host"—what are your thoughts on that?
“Operators are increasingly interested in moving away from Wi-Fi due to security risks. With a neutral host solution, they can create a stable and secure connection. I see this as essential—we need to address indoor coverage as a problem and Wi-Fi as a security issue. The industry needs to move past the mindset that, for example, regions ‘shouldn’t build their own networks.’ This is becoming an increasingly pressing issue. As security risks grow and the demand for stable connections increases, operators must take responsibility for providing secure networks.
The question is not if but when this will take off. Across Europe, the situation with poor indoor coverage is similar, but some countries, such as the UK, have taken a step ahead. And as users, we no longer want to rely on open Wi-Fi networks due to security concerns. It’s a hot topic.”
The geopolitical situation—how has it affected us and our security demands?
“It has had a significant impact. Säpo (the Swedish Security Service) just released a major report the other day. But now, the issue is being brought down to an individual level, with guidance on ‘how to protect yourself.’ Consumers are becoming increasingly aware.
To summarize, my key takeaways are primarily about revenue—where indoor solutions can play a role—and recognizing that the era of discovering ‘the next Netflix’ is over,” concludes Mats Roesgaard Sjödin.
Allicon offers neutral host solutions and secure indoor networks for 5G, enabling operators to provide better and more secure connectivity for their customers—while also creating new revenue streams. We look forward to following the industry’s development!
Want to learn more? We’d be delighted to hear from you!
Andreas Boo, CEO Allicon
+46 (0)734 254 566