Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 is fast approaching, and ABI Research will be there once again to witness the latest innovations shaping the future of mobile technology. Based on numerous pre-briefings ahead of Barcelona, our analysts are calling the most dramatic shift in MWC's history: watch the telecoms industry finally shed its old skin. Computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are not just joining the party, they are taking over the entire show.
While cellular generations (2G/3G/4G/5G/etc.) have been the primary focus of the mobile ecosystem for decades, failure to monetize existing mobile infrastructure and the ongoing challenges of rising operational costs have forced key stakeholders to rethink their product development priorities. As enterprises and consumers increasingly adopt AI and Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) applications, they seek to bring intelligence closer to the edge. This requires immense computing power across every node of the infrastructure, from the services layer to end devices.
Enterprises now demand far more than simple connections. They seek end-to-end solutions that can not only address their pain points, but also harness the wealth of data flowing through their infrastructure. They're looking for technology partners that can deliver the computing resources needed for AI, network Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), and other compute-intensive technologies that promise significant productivity gains and true digital transformation.
Compute should be seen by the mobile ecosystem as the mechanism for breaking the levee holding back new revenue streams and letting untapped opportunities flow. MWC 2025 is the perfect venue for the mobile environment to demonstrate how it is responding to this demand.
Connectivity Will Take a Back Seat at MWC Due to Monetization Struggles
The mobile ecosystem has experienced decreasing revenue for years now, with no end in sight if it continues on a comms-centric path. Connectivity services are seen as a commodity item, making the enablement of AI and other compute-intensive applications the core focus at MWC 2025.
For example, the cloud computing value chain has seen revenue explode over the past 20 years. Hyperscalers have established themselves as strong partners for content/data storage, cybersecurity, and other tools within the Information Technology (IT)/Operational Technology (OT) domains. Rapid advancements in AI and analytics will only make cloud providers more valuable in the eyes of enterprises.
Clearly, the status quo has not been working for mobile ecosystem players. Driving higher revenue will hinge on their ability to successfully pivot their business model from core communications to computing platforms that unlock the use cases of tomorrow. The halls of Fira Barcelona Gran Via will be swarming with these innovations.
Catch Our Other Posts:
ABI Research's Expectations for AI and Compute at MWC 2025
The Network APIs Pivot at MWC 2025: Bridging the Comms-Compute Gap
MWC-2025: East-West Divide amid Compute-Comms Convergence
Connect with Us at MWC 2025
Our analysts will be attending MWC to answer the question of whether the telco value chain can harness the benefits of the shift to compute. Look out on our Whitepapers listing page for our MWC 2025 wrap-up paper when we provide a warts-and-all analysis of our thoughts on MWC and the telco community.
And if you’re attending MWC 2025, you can arrange a one-on-one discussion with our analysts on the latest industry trends, emerging technologies, and key market opportunities.
