MWC 25 Roundup: 5G, AI, Open Gateway, Security, eSIMs, MVNOs
We’ve wrapped up another MWC, and it’s been a great week of meeting interesting people, exploring new innovations, and observing the latest trends in the mobile industry – many of which we covered in our daily recaps. If you’re short on time, here’s a summary of the key areas we tracked:
Thanks to Tony and Luanna, whose attendance at the talks throughout the week and valuable insights have helped shape these newsletters.
5G
There was a fair amount of lip service paid to 5G, which wasn’t particularly encouraging. Even the dedicated 5G sessions we attended quickly pivoted to topics like AI and Open Gateway – focusing on tangential links rather than addressing the core challenges of 5G. At times, it felt like window dressing to gloss over the lack of real progress on 5G Standalone rollout and network slicing. The most extreme example? A robot dog and a humanoid robot taking the stage during a 5G session, with the relevance to 5G being entirely lost on us!
That said, we see significant opportunities in 5G for improving roaming quality and security (among other areas). While it was disappointing to see these largely overlooked in the official panels, our face-to-face meetings were far more constructive, showing there’s still plenty to be optimistic about!
AI
AI was everywhere. Much of what we saw ranged from questionable applications to outright unbelievable claims. Cutting through the noise was a challenge, but with some digging, we found interesting discussions and real-world applications.
Some of the more valuable conversations focused on data privacy, misinformation and bias, innovation in customer experience, and operational efficiency. In line with our own approach to AI, we appreciated presentations that focused on practical, real-world applications rather than the flashy, overly ambitious visions of the future.
Open Gateway
Open Gateway was given a lot of attention, particularly in presentations and panels on the official agenda. It’s being heavily promoted by the GSMA and stakeholders that have already invested in this space, largely because its success hinges on widespread global adoption. While some practical use cases were presented, there was also a fair amount of exaggeration and perhaps overly optimistic projections about its future.
Established use cases like SIM Swap, Device Location, and Number Verification have the best chance of scaling, but even that is far from certain. At Cellusys, we appreciate the concept of opening networks for communication via API and are keen to see these initiatives gain traction. However, we don’t necessarily share the widespread optimism about global adoption. Many new use cases are being added, but with little real adoption so far, it remains to be seen whether this will extend beyond the more established applications.
Security
Security was a standout topic – unlike 5G, Open Gateway, and AI, discussions in this space were well-grounded in reality and full of valuable insights.
Of particular interest to us were conversations on AI’s impact on security, the power of collaboration between telco and non-telco data sources, and the implications of a security-by-design approach. One key takeaway was the clear need for increased investment to keep pace with emerging technologies and evolving threats. As always with security, the challenge lies in justifying the investment when the pay-off is often difficult to quantify.
eSIM
eSIM adoption is accelerating. Like Open Gateway, it has attracted significant interest, hype, and investment, but unlike Open Gateway, it’s already a mature technology with widespread adoption and proven business cases. Its disruptive potential is clear, enabling innovation, flexibility, and operational efficiency. It’s also a key driver of growth in the IoT and MVNO spaces and is reshaping the roaming landscape by fuelling the rise of travel SIM offerings.
However, eSIMs are often mistakenly equated with travel SIMs, which significantly underrepresents their potential. In the travel SIM space, many players are capitalising on poor roaming offerings. Some operators are pushing back with more progressive, innovative roaming solutions, but many are not. Yet, as long as roaming remains expensive and inflexible, travel SIMs will continue to thrive. Operators need to step up with better roaming packages – traditional roaming still offers the most seamless experience for consumers, but cost remains a major barrier to adoption.
MVNOs
MVNOs are experiencing strong growth, driven by new technologies that are lowering barriers to entry. eSIMs, in particular, have simplified the logistics of running an MVNO, making it easier than ever to launch and operate.
As connectivity needs become more diverse – driven by factors like quality, cost, and coverage – a one-size-fits-all approach is no longer sufficient. MVNOs are stepping in to serve specific niches that larger operators don’t address, leading to notable growth in IoT-focused and enterprise MVNOs. Another emerging trend is the rise of ‘Brand MVNOs’, with supermarkets, banks, sports teams, and even influencers entering the space, taking advantage of the increasingly accessible MVNO model.
Feel free to reach out
MWC may be over, but the conversations around these key topics are just getting started.
As always, much of the value of MWC comes from the discussions, connections, and insights gained beyond the official panels. If any of these topics resonate with you – or if you’d like to continue the conversation – feel free to reach out. We’d love to hear your thoughts.
Dan, Tony, and Luanna
Categorised in: Blog