Three Key Themes from MWC 2026: AI in the RAN, non-terrestrial networks and the return of the femtocell
Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2026 brought together the global mobile ecosystem, with industry commentary and broader telecom market trends from this year’s event pointing to several developments shaping the next phase of network evolution.
Three areas stood out for mobile infrastructure: the increasing role of artificial intelligence within network architecture (AI in the RAN), the growing momentum behind non-terrestrial networks (NTN), and renewed interest in femtocell-class small cells (compact self-install indoor base stations) to address indoor coverage challenges.
AI Moves Closer to the Radio
Artificial intelligence was ubiquitous across MWC 2026, but the focus is increasingly shifting toward how intelligence is integrated into network infrastructure itself, particularly within the radio access network.
Earlier AI deployments in telecom mainly focused on overlay capabilities within operational platforms, for example, adding artificial intelligence layers for network automation and optimisation. The industry is now exploring how to embed intelligence directly into the RAN (Radio Access Network) architecture to enable faster, more autonomous decision-making at the network edge.
This shift signals that future networks will merge connectivity, computing, and intelligence. As 6G research advances, RAN-embedded intelligence and sensing will shape network adaptability.
RANsemi explored these themes in recent blogs examining the case for agentic base stations in the RAN and how future 6G networks will evolve to sense, learn and adapt.
Non-Terrestrial Networks Gain Momentum
Non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) are gaining momentum as interest in satellite broadband systems expands rapidly. The industry is converging on 5G NTN as the architectural framework for non-terrestrial networks, aligning satellite connectivity with the wider evolution of mobile network architectures.
As these technologies gain traction, they are expected to play an important role in remote regions, maritime environments, emergency response and mission-critical communications. Growing interest in sovereign satellite capability is also shaping investment in non-terrestrial networks as countries seek greater control over critical communications infrastructure.
Many early-stage satellite payload and terminal designs today rely heavily on FPGA-based platforms for processing and signal handling. As NTNs scale, more integrated silicon solutions are expected to play an increasingly important role in improving efficiency, performance and power consumption.
RANsemi is supporting industry work through the Small Cell Forum, examining how NTN capabilities can extend mobile coverage and complement terrestrial small cell deployments.
The Return of the Femtocell
Another theme from industry discussions is the resurgence of femtocell-class small cells for indoor connectivity challenges.
Industry discussion at a level not seen since the early 3G era focuses on compact, self-install base stations to improve in-building coverage. Operators are re-examining solutions that enable consumers to deploy small cells quickly and cost-effectively.
Modern femtocells are significantly more advanced than earlier generations. Advances in integrated baseband platforms, Open RAN ecosystems and simplified deployment models are enabling flexible indoor coverage and network densification.
Femtocells are re-emerging as a practical solution for delivering reliable indoor mobile coverage at scale, addressing one of the industry’s persistent challenges and reflecting the growing role of small cells in future architectures.
RANsemi is working closely with customers to develop integrated small cell designs that support indoor coverage and emerging deployment models.
Looking Ahead
These themes align closely with RANsemi’s technology development direction, particularly our focus on intelligent baseband architectures and flexible Open RAN platforms that enable differentiated performance and adaptability for new deployment models across private, mission-critical, and distributed network environments.
Beyond MWC, RANsemi continues to contribute to the evolving conversation around intelligent and distributed network architectures through our work on AI-native RAN and emerging 6G capabilities.
Are you interested in discussing AI in the RAN, non-terrestrial networks, or next-generation femtocells? Contact the RANsemi team.
