MWC26 Day 3 Recap
Today’s focus was eSIM, MVNO and Open APIs. We tried to steer away from AI — no chance.
Some takeaways:
eSIM
The main theme around eSIM was progress. Compared to previous MWCs, the shift is visible. Sessions focused less on projections and more on real-world challenges. eSIM has moved from promise to delivery. Some figures shared:
- 3 in 4 MNOs have launched eSIM for domestic services
- 73% of MNOs have launched the service (strongest uptake in regions such as the US)
- Consumer awareness has grown from 25% in 2021 to 60% today
- 54% of consumers are interested in using it
- 70% interest in travel eSIMs
- In 2026, 10% of smartphones are projected to use eSIM
- By 2030, eSIM is expected to surpass traditional removable SIMs
The progress is clear, which is unsurprising given the value eSIM offers. MNOs and vendors are now focused on evolving to address the next set of challenges and opportunities. There is strong optimism around the rollout of SGP.32, likely to become the default standard, with particular relevance for IoT.
Another notable trend is fraud. The fraud itself is not new, but eSIM gives it new context. Examples include (e)SIM swap and (e)SIMbox — established fraud types, now enabled by eSIM. The ease of switching SIMs is a core benefit of eSIM, but that same convenience creates opportunity for abuse. As eSIM adoption grows, fraud is likely to grow alongside it.
MVNO
The MVNO Summit highlighted the continued expansion and diversification of the MVNO ecosystem. The number of MVNOs globally has grown significantly over the past decade, now exceeding 2,000 operators worldwide, with Europe remaining the most mature and competitive market. While discount propositions still account for the largest share of the segment, MVNO models are gradually extending into enterprise services, niche segments and digital-first offerings.
At the same time, eSIM is accelerating the growth of digital-first MVNOs, enabling new global connectivity propositions, particularly in travel and data services. Branded MVNOs are also gaining momentum by leveraging strong customer relationships and established distribution channels. Examples such as Walmart’s Bait in Mexico, Tesco Mobile in the UK and digital players like Revolut show how retail, fintech and digital platforms increasingly view connectivity as an extension of their core services.
Looking ahead, growth is expected to come from enterprise and IoT opportunities, global expansion enabled by eSIM, and the convergence of telecoms with digital platforms.
Open API
APIs were heavily overhyped in recent years, with unrealistic projections and expectations. The conversation has since matured and feels more grounded. Beyond the presentations, there are signs of genuine opportunity. It may not reach the heights once promised, but there is tangible progress.
Some notable points:
- 95% of those discussing network APIs are the ones building them, leaving only 5% engaging enterprises (banks, gaming, etc.) to identify real use cases. “Telco is great at PoCs” was a sentiment we recognised.
- The most prominent APIs remain SIM swap, device swap, Quality on Demand and Network on Demand — little has changed here.
- Operators want proven business cases before exposing APIs, while enterprises want guaranteed scale first. If only one out of four networks in a country participates, it is not viable. This creates a clear catch-22.
- Lack of standardisation remains a major blocker. Enterprises face inconsistency across operators. The priority should be broader alignment on fewer common APIs, rather than isolated operators offering many endpoints.
- Per-transaction models were seen by some as eroding trust, with suggestions to move toward subscription or outcome-based models. Whether or not that is the full answer, flexibility in commercial models will be necessary.
Progress remains slow, but there are early signs of alignment. We were sceptical last year; this year there are indications that momentum may be building.
Back tomorrow with our final recap and reflections from MWC26.
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