MWC 2026: How Orange’s Networks Are Emerging as a Value-Adding Platform for AI

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At Mobile World Congress 2026, networks are no longer portrayed as mere “pipes.” They are increasingly emerging as an orchestration layer for artificial intelligence, mission-critical services, and digital sovereignty.

With nearly 110,000 attendees gathered under the theme “The IQ Era,” the show spotlighted standalone 5G, native AI in networks, edge computing, satellite-terrestrial convergence, and security. For businesses, the question is no longer “when will these technologies be ready?” but rather “how can we turn them into real business value right now?”

• What Orange presented in Barcelona — network-AI use cases in real-world conditions, designed around B2B needs.
• What MWC 2026 says about the market — the major trends, including native AI, 5G SA, APIs, edge, satellites and security, that will shape your projects over the next three to five years.

Below, discover a brief overview of our report:

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Smart networks serving operations and territories

On its booth, Orange focused its demos around one message: 5G, advanced 5G and AI are already creating business value.

• LiveMemo Agent: an AI built directly into the mobile network turns every call into an automatic summary, action items, and CRM updates. The result: less data entry, better follow-up, and a more effective customer relationship.
• Network‑Augmented Facilities & Orange Drone Inspection: 5G drones, digital twins and network APIs (identity, anti-fraud, QoS) to secure and inspect critical sites remotely. Benefits: improved team safety, faster response times, and a model that can be applied to energy, industry and transport.
• Fiber Detection & Forest Smart Guardian: fiber used as a sensor network for detecting water leaks and ground movement, with AI capabilities to detect the first signs of fire and map risk areas. The network becomes a tool for protecting territories and ensuring business continuity.

Beyond connectivity: Livebox as a platform, network APIs and trusted AI

Orange also illustrates how its infrastructure is evolving into a service platform :

• Livebox Store & Family Protection: the Livebox is evolving into a service hub for energy and the connected home, while Family Protection brings together AI, cybersecurity, and sociology to help protect families. These building blocks showcase trusted AI capabilities that can also be reused in B2B.
• APIs réseau & IA agentique: for Orange, there is no AI without APIs. The LiveMemo, Augmented Facilities, and Branded Calling demos rely on voice, identity, anti-fraud, QoS, and location APIs to automate critical tasks and build trust. Tomorrow, business applications will be able to interact directly with the network.
• Souveraineté et IA “telco‑grade”⁽¹⁾: with Live Intelligence, used by more than 100,000 employees, Max it Easy Talk, and a portfolio of innovations focused heavily on AI, future networks, and cybersecurity, Orange is positioning itself as a partner for robust, sovereign AI-and-network solutions.

What MWC 2026 Says About the Market: The Signals Not to Ignore

The trade show is sending several strong signals to B2B decision-makers:

• AI is fast becoming the network’s “operating system.” It is already powering RAN optimization, routing and fault detection, while paving the way for more autonomous networks.
• 5G SA and 5G-Advanced are essential steps toward an AI-native 6G, while also opening the door to monetizing slicing, edge computing, private networks, and APIs.
• Network APIs and NaaS are rapidly taking shape, with identity, QoS, location and edge paving the way for a new range of B2B services.
• Edge computing and “physical AI” — including robots, vehicles and drones — are bringing intelligence closer to machines, right at the edge of the RAN.
• Satellites and direct-to-device technology complement terrestrial networks to deliver truly ubiquitous connectivity.
• Security, digital identity and trustworthy AI are becoming prerequisites: operators are positioning themselves as “active shields” against scams, deepfakes and cyberattacks.

And now: what opportunities are there for you?

Orange’s demonstrations at MWC 2026 show that these building blocks are no longer theoretical. They can be tested, and some are already on the way to industrial deployment:

• inspection and securing of critical sites,
• predictive maintenance for infrastructure,
• AI-enhanced customer service across the network,
• environmental monitoring and territorial resilience,
• home and energy services powered by the Livebox,
• security and identity built into the network.

The next step is organizational: identifying, sector by sector, the use cases where 5G SA, AI and network APIs create the most value, and then testing them.

That is precisely the mission of Orange 5G Lab: to enable you to co-develop these use cases, test them in the field, and prepare them to scale.

Want to know more?

⁽¹⁾ « telco-grade » : AI and connectivity solutions that meet industrialisation, reliability, security and scalability standards derived from the operator world.

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