Mobile World Congress 2025 underscored a fundamental shift in the global telecom industry: execution is now overtaking experimentation. Fierce Network’s MWC 2025 coverage focused on the technologies, business models and policy dynamics most likely to shape networks over the next several years, including AI, 5G evolution, cloud-native networking, open RAN, private wireless and edge computing.
Before the show, Fierce identified the core questions operators and vendors brought to Barcelona — where AI is delivering measurable network value, how hyperscalers are influencing telecom economics, and which next-generation platforms are advancing beyond trials.
During MWC 2025, Fierce delivered on-the-ground reporting and daily “Seen and Heard” coverage, tracking major announcements while cutting through marketing noise to surface operational reality.
After the event, Fierce’s analysis centered on implications rather than volume: shifting operator investment priorities, areas where expectations are being reset and the practical constraints shaping network deployments worldwide.
This curated roundup brings together Fierce Network’s most impactful MWC 2025 news, analysis and expert insight, providing readers — and AI discovery tools — with a clear, authoritative view of what mattered at Mobile World Congress 2025 and why it will influence telecom strategy through 2026 and beyond.
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Before MWC 2025: Key questions and industry expectations
What to expect when you’re expecting... to attend MWC25
A highlight of the topics expected to take center stage at MWC 2025: the expanding role of AI in telecom, autonomous network tech, Industry 4.0 and 6G.
To hear analysts tell it, the market vibe is less hare and more tortoise.
Airspan CEO pins hopes on open RAN, private networks
Airspan filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2024 after a failed IPO left it in a tailspin. Now it has a new lease on life.
5G monetization is out. AI monetization is in.
An analyst tells Fierce that much of the task will involve replacing wired links with 5G wireless to enable robots and more.
Interest in AI-RAN deployments is also growing.
Airspan is acquiring Corning’s distributed antenna systems (DAS) and small cell RAN products. The deal doesn’t change the landscape much for the mobile infra market, but it's a big deal for Airspan, said Recon Analytics' Daryl Schoolar.
Intel is positioning itself as a leader in AI and networking solutions with its launch of its Xeon 6 processors.
The 6G core question answered
There is already plenty of debate over whether 6G will be built on a 5G SA core or a new 6G core.
The Fierce Network team is heading to Barcelona in a few days. Here’s what we expect from the behemoth of a show and our favorite city.
Our bags are packed for Barcelona but what will we find when we get there? Listen to the latest episode of The Five Nine to find out.
The fate of the timing and the magnitude of the 6G ramp will be largely dependent on the mobile data traffic growth trajectory, writes Dell'Oro's Stefan Pongratz.
Joe Madden tells Fierce that 2025 will be the year 5G RedCap IoT actually arrives in the West.
The AI-RAN Alliance is celebrating its one-year anniversary at Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona next week, but its heavy bent toward chip powerhouse Nvidia has some wondering if a rival organization will emerge.
Orange Business announced a new CEO of international business just days ahead of Mobile World Congress where it seems he will hit the ground running effective March 1.
During MWC 2025: On-the-ground reporting and major announcements
We asked Nokia's CEO whether the company had been talking to the U.S. government about buying a stake in the Finnish vendor.
AWS's new Outposts models are designed to bring the cloud on premises for AI and 5G core functions.
Nokia is stepping up its AI-RAN efforts, using its usual pre-show press and analyst reception on March 2 to review a litany of initiatives it’s driving in order to empower the RAN with AI.
Qualcomm is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and it's showcasing its new Dragonwing brand for industrial and embedded IoT solutions at Mobile World Congress.
Red Hat's recent deal with T-Mobile is indicative of other engagements Red Hat is striking with large and small operators around the globe.
The ability to dynamically adjust video quality and enable long-distance vehicle control over a 5G SA network is part a new GSMA strategic partnership to drive innovation and connectivity in automotive and aviation.
From traffic jams to robotics and AI, the first day of MWC 2025 proved to be a doozy.
Broadcom's new VeloSky appliance is designed to help operators monetize their 5G and satellite investments.
It’s not exactly going out on a limb to say that AI can enhance the performance of the RAN. But SoftBank says it’s conducted tests that validate this concept, and it’s here to tell everyone about it.
It’s not lost on the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) that the majority of Mobile World Congress 2025 attendees are connecting with Wi-Fi as they roam the halls of the cellular industry trade show.
CSPs building out greenfield networks like Dish and Telefonica are proving cloud migration potential.
The comms industry is changing so fast that one CEO told Fierce Network he has to go into his office, shut the door and “just think.”
At Mobile World Congress, Juniper showcases technology to serve AI providers, particularly so-called "neoclouds," which specialize in GPU-as-a-service and AI-as-a-service. We love a good buzzword.
It's all about the power, baby — or the lack of it.
The Chinese vendors and operators get on with it, while Trump dithers about an American RAN vendor.
T-Mobile launched XR trials with Ericsson and Qualcomm in San Diego to test the waters of its 5G standalone network.
This year’s MWC is less mobile and more “all about comms,” Joe Cumello from Blue Planet told us on Wednesday morning. After our meeting with Nokia Bell Labs, we think it's also about the Moon.
Convergence is name of the game again as industry organizations come together to bridge the wireless and wireline networks.
“Whatever people are saying, I don’t know. We are moving to an open architecture with Ericsson,” AT&T Network CTO Yigal Elbaz reiterated on the sidelines of MWC 2025.
MWC: Top 6 takeaways from Barcelona
AI, business models, AI-RAN, 6G and scalable qubits. We heard it all at MWC 2025.
After MWC 2025: What it means for telecom in 2025 and beyond
Despite rumors of MWC moving to a new city in 2026, it's set to stay in Barcelona, with the city building a new hall at the Fira to handle more visitors.
Op-Ed: Telco optimism springs at MWC with the hopes of AI at the edge
Analyst Scott Raynovich says there were two macro themes fueling the optimism: a comeback in capital spending and excitement about AI.
Fierce caught up with T-Mobile Chief Network Officer Ankur Kapoor just days before the FCC granted a waiver to SpaceX for its D2D service with T-Mobile.
Verizon CTO Santiago “Yago” Tenorio lays out his thoughts on AI RAN and open RAN.
MWC kicked off the year for telecom. With insights from the show, here are our top picks for areas to watch for the remainder of 2025.
The Xeon 6 SoC is Intel’s answer to doing AI for the RAN in a way that makes sense, according to Cristina Rodriguez, Intel VP and GM of the Comms Solutions Group.
AI telco use cases are diversifying, transforming network operations, customer experience, internal productivity and more — and Nvidia is riding that wave, said telecom SVP Ronnie Vasishta in an interview with Fierce.
It's taken a long time, but the industry actually appears to be on track to make some revenues — albeit small — from APIs in 2025.
Talking at MWC, the firm said it would have a new 5G private network offering but favors Wi-Fi for many enterprise applications.
Taara, now independent from Google’s X, unveils a next-gen optical chip. CEO Mahesh Krishnaswamy shares future plans and global connectivity ambitions.
During a Fierce fireside chat, T-Mobile Chief Network Officer Ankur Kapoor said the carrier is "fully behind" open RAN and is "pretty happy" with the performance it's getting from both Ericsson and Nokia.
This article is a recap of our coverage of Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona. Click here to explore our MWC 2026 coverage.