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Enterprise Procurement and Partnership in the Age of AI and Outcome-Based Connectivity — Analysis by Region

Paul Hughes — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

This IDC Perspective is the first in a series of three documents that examine how businesses expect to procure connectivity services and related transformation projects in the era of AI and outcome-based connectivity. Drawing on IDC's 2025 Enterprise Connectivity Infrastructure and Services Survey and other related IDC data sources, this IDC Perspective identifies regional differences for connectivity provider preferences and procurement methods across North America, Europe, and APAC.

"Regional procurement patterns reveal that geography still shapes how enterprises source and evaluate connectivity," commented Paul Hughes, research director, Future Enterprise Connectivity Strategies at IDC. "This comes even as the underlying provider competition converges globally and as AI leadership from the supplier community differs in depth, perspective, and approach."

IBM Content Cortex: Turning Decades of Content Services Investment into an Agentic AI Asset

Amy Machado — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

On June 26, IBM launched IBM Content Cortex, a unified platform built for agentic content management. IBM Content Cortex is designed to help enterprises secure and activate content and documents at scale, signaling IBM's intent to reposition legacy enterprise content management for agentic content automation.

Market Forecast: Worldwide Telecommunications Capex Forecast, 2026–2030

Peter Chahal, Nikhil Batra, Bruno Teyton — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

This IDC presentation provides a worldwide forecast for telecommunications service provider capex covering the 2026–2030 period. The capex forecast is broken out between wireless and wireline networks, with data for each one of the three main geographic regions. Capex is defined as capital spending by telcos to acquire or upgrade tangible assets (plant, property, and equipment) and intangible assets, excluding telecommunications and spectrum licenses.

“Telecom service providers are entering a more disciplined investment phase, with global capex expected to decline at a 1.8% CAGR from 2026 to 2030 as markets mature and efficiencies improve,” said Peter Chahal, research director of Worldwide Telecommunications Services and Strategies at IDC. “This shift reflects a sharper focus on capital allocation, with operators prioritizing cost optimization and free cash flow while advancing monetization strategies and AI-driven automation, alongside targeted investments in satellite connectivity and preparation for 6G.”

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.