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5G RedCap and eRedCap: The Slow Burn, the Ecosystem, and the Physical AI Opportunity

John Gole — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

5G RedCap has moved from standard to early commercial deployment, but meaningful adoption has not yet followed. Outside China, volumes are negligible, LTE retains its economic and coverage advantages for the vast majority of IoT use cases, and no hard migration-forcing function exists in most markets. The long-term case for RedCap and eRedCap rests on two distinct dynamics: the gradual, economics-driven migration of the enormous LTE IoT installed base as networks evolve and costs converge, and the emerging demand from intelligent physical systems — autonomous, AI-driven, and video-intensive — that LTE cannot adequately support. Both dynamics are real. Neither is imminent.

“RedCap is a slow-burn technology — and that is not a criticism. Most of the IoT market will stay on LTE for years, and for most use cases, that is the right decision. What will change the equation is pressure from two directions: the gradual closing of LTE as a design option, which is already happening in the US, and the emergence of intelligent physical systems — autonomous, AI-driven, and video-intensive — that LTE cannot support well enough. RedCap is the right answer for that second category today. eRedCap is the answer for the first category, but not until costs fall into range. The organizations that understand the difference and plan accordingly will be ahead of the market when volumes start to move.” — John Gole, Research Director, IDC.

Challenges to Starlink After SpaceX's Blowout IPO

Simon Baker — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

The SpaceX IPO propelled the company into the ranks of the world's most valuable companies. Expanding its core Starlink internet service will depend largely on operational issues. Declining ARPUs threaten profitability and increase the need to put Starship into service to launch larger satellites at lower cost.

Japan J-LEO D2C Govt Project Opts for Rakuten/AST SpaceMobile over KDDI/SpaceX

Simon Baker — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

T Project subsidizes disaster recovery LEO satellite infrastructure open to all telecom players in Japan under the mandate of local ownership and control. It requires national service with video calling capabilities and service by early 2029. The decision is an important boost to AST SpaceMobile and its positioning as a "cellular tower in the sky" operator able and willing to work as a neutral infrastructure player.

Market Forecast: European 5G Human Connections Forecast, 2026–2030

Alejandro Cadenas — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

This IDC Market Forecast discusses the 5G human connections market in Europe, together with other mobile technology generations, updating previous forecasts in this area. To produce this forecast, IDC developed a comprehensive per-country prediction model to estimate 5G subscriber growth, coverage expansion, and network deployment volumes. The forecast breaks down the data by customer segment. This forecast examines the trajectory of 5G network densification and subscriber penetration, which are critical concerns for mobile operators and infrastructure providers across Europe to help them align their investment strategies and competitive positioning.

5G coverage in Europe will be approaching full availability in the coming years. This signals a strategic transition: while the transition to 5G technology is still ongoing, operators must move beyond subscriber acquisition metrics to focus on value creation per connection. Premium use cases, enterprise services, and application-driven revenue streams will be the primary growth drivers over the next three to five years, and the value generated by 5G as a technology will come less from the number of connections and more from the solutions deployed on top.

DTW 2026 — Reality Check for Autonomous Networks, Agentic AI, and the Future of Telco Monetization

Chris Silberberg — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

DTW Ignite 2026 drew 3,000+ attendees to Copenhagen, with agentic AI, autonomous networks, AI monetization, and customer experience emerging as the event's defining cross-vendor themes. Though in some areas progress has not been as fast as expected, discussions were experience led, with progress being made in all areas.

IDC Survey: U.S. Consumer Communications and Mobile Services Survey, 2025 — Voice Services

Denise Lund, Jitesh Gera — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Mobile has become the default home voice solution: Landline-to-mobile substitution has reached a clear inflection point, making mobile the primary household voice service while landline shifts toward a narrower legacy and continuity role.
Rise of mobile-first bundling models: Landline‑based triple‑play bundles are losing relevance as consumers shift toward more flexible, mobile‑centric combinations. Household demand is moving toward mobile + internet packages and other streamlined connectivity options, reducing the landline's importance as the core element of home service bundles.
Replacement is moving beyond mobile: Landline churn risk is accelerating, with device-based VoIP emerging as a secondary transition path for households that still want a home phone experience without a traditional landline.
Landline retention — more about comfort than cost: People are keeping their landlines mostly out of habit or because they still do not fully trust mobile networks. When they do cancel landlines, it is usually because mobile services offer better value, convenience, and fit better with their lifestyle, not just because of price.

Netcracker's Evolution into Prime Systems Integrator: Accelerating Telecom Transformation in the Middle East and Africa

Tolga Yalcin — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

This IDC Vendor Profile examines Netcracker's evolution from a telecom-focused BSS/OSS software vendor into a Prime SI, with global and regional presence across the Middle East and Africa. It provides an overview of the company, its 2026 strategy and AI-led delivery model, and its regional engagements with operators including e&, Vodafone Oman, and Zain — anchored by the transformation of a tier 1 Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (META) operator as a regional proof point. The study aims to inform global and regional telecom operators, IT buyers, channel partners, and other digital ecosystem players about Netcracker's regional market position, transformation accountability model, and outlook through 2026 and beyond.

Verizon and BT Combine International Units in Joint Venture to Simplify Cross-Border, Cloud-First Connectivity

Alejandro Cadenas, Jan Hein Bakkers, Jitesh Bhayani, Paul Hughes, Denise Lund — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Verizon and BT's announced plan to combine their international enterprise units into an equally owned new company brings together an estimated $4 billion in yearly revenue and reach into upward of 3,000 multinational accounts spread across 180-plus countries. This pair up comes as enterprises are shifting workloads into a cloud-first, AI-driven model, domestic connectivity markets are seeing increased competitive pressures, and larger enterprises are looking for a telco partner that can scale and deliver across broader international touch points.

Ericsson Private 5G Now Available Through Verizon Business Internationally

Alejandro Cadenas, Jason Leigh, Paul Hughes — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

On June 15, 2026, Ericsson and Verizon Business announced that Ericsson Private 5G is now available through Verizon Business private wireless deployments beyond U.S. borders. The expansion enables multinational enterprises that are already operating Ericsson-powered private 5G networks through Verizon Business on U.S. campuses to extend those same capabilities to their international sites. The move is framed explicitly around the AI era, with both companies citing rising enterprise demand for secure, high-speed, low-latency connectivity as the commercial and technical driver. For Verizon Business, the announcement broadens the company's international private wireless portfolio and positions it to serve the end-to-end connectivity needs of its largest enterprise accounts on a global basis, delivering a single-vendor continuity of technology across domestic and international operations.

IDC Survey: 5G Network Slicing and the Enterprise: Perspectives on Interest, Need, Benefits, and Adoption

Jason Leigh — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

This IDC Survey summarizes enterprise perspectives on 5G network slicing, based on IDC’s 2025 North American Enterprise 5G, IoT, and Private Mobile Networks Survey (October 2025). Respondents were enterprise decision-makers responsible for digital transformation, connectivity, networking, 5G, and IoT.

Network slicing is positioned as a monetizable, scalable 5G feature, appealing to enterprises seeking preferential traffic routing and strict service level agreements. While interest remains high, adoption is selective: Only specific use cases and device types see material benefit from dedicated network slices, with most applications deriving limited value. Enterprises are expected to deploy network slicing tactically, targeting scenarios in which it is essential.

Survey questions addressed enterprise understanding of network slicing, willingness to adopt, key use cases, and spending intentions.