The Institute of Information & communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP) said on March 23 that it published the IITP MWC26 Technical Review Report.
The report carried a summary of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026, which took place in Barcelona, Spain, from March 2 to March 5.
It covered keynotes, on-the-spot exhibition technology trend reviews, and policy and technology development implications.
Among the takeaways were eight technology trends and five implications of the subsequent attraction. The first technology trend was full-scale “AI native networks.”
The second trend is about “dramatic shift: of a base station’s roles through AI-RAN” (Artificial Intelligence for Radio Access Network).
Base stations are changing software stations into AI stations through the Open-RAN, and it will change into one of accommodating communication and AI work load simultaneously.
AI technologies are predicted not only to optimize and automize base stations, but also to be transformed into one that could provide “edge computing for physical AI.”
The third trend is related to transforming the smartphone into an agentic AI device.
The smartphone is no longer devoted to simply running general apps, but it has evolved into an agentic AI device.
A tripartite structure has been taking shape in which smartphone makers utilize on-device AI, platform companies suggest personalized agentic AI and telecom service providers offer AI services.
The fourth trend is “Mobile World AI-China” in which Huawei makes an AI full stack, China Mobile offers services, complementing an integrated value chain.
In particular, Huawei, which is self-sufficient with chipsets, terminals, network, cloud and services, showcased AI infrastructure fool stack, outfitted with an antenna and a datacenter.
A view of the “IITP MWC26 Technical Review Report,” published by the Institute of Information & communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP).
Meanwhile, the Chinese company also unveiled a variety of computing solutions, such as Atlas 950 SuperPoD and TaiShan 950 SuperPoD for the first time in global markets, except China.
The fifth trend is the commercialization of “faster AI Native 6G.” The United States is preparing to demonstrate 6G in time for the 2028 LA Olympics.
As commercialization of 6G is to be advanced to around 2030, as early as 2029, telecom service providers, standardization organizations and industry alliances, such as Qualcomm, NVIDIA, and GSMA have joined forces to push for commercialization of 6G.
The sixth trend is about telecom service providers’ invigorating of a shift into monetization.
Foreign telecom service providers have commonly suggested the commercializing of 5G SA-based network slicing and the expanding of API/QoD-based profit models.
On the other hand, three Korean telecom service providers have focused on being transformed into an AI infrastructure-based service platform company beyond the simple network provider.
The seventh trend is about “smartphone AI glass rivalry” sans Apple and Samsung.
The post-smartphone market for AI glasses and wearable devices has been suggested as a core theme.
In particular, Meta has come up with strategies to spearhead the market of AI glasses, combined with fashions and AI ecosystems with 3rd generation- Meta Ray-Ban Display and Meta Neural Band.
Many Chinese companies have joined in the AI glasses competition, stressing their own manufacturing supremacy and hardware specifications during the fair.
The IITP MWC26 Review suggested five implications based on the eight technology trends.
First, it said preemptive steps should be taken to cope with 6G competition from a stage of 5G/5G-A.
Next comes shifting the communication network rivalry from equipment performance to “Operational Intelligence Index.”
Thirdly, it suggested the need for securing Korean-type AI infrastructure full-stack strategies and building the AI ecosystem.
Fourthly, it stressed the spread of 5G SA among Korean telecom service providers and reorganization of a profit model structure.
The final and fifth thing was integrating non-terrestrial networks (NTN), essential for national AI infrastructure, and network.
IITP President Hong Jin-bae said, “MWC26, which took place this time under the theme “The IQ Era,” has assured that the more intelligently connected a nation will be capable of leading the future, and IITP will ramp up the competitiveness of the domestic industry and lead the global market in cooperation of the Ministry of Science and ICT with full-stack strategies focusing AI network in order to make Korea a global top-three power in AI.”
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