The edition of MWC 2026 has started rolling and there have been many new things that the companies have revealed throughout the first day. As expected, the inauguration was attended by important institutional figures, such as King Felipe VI, the President of the Government Pedro Sánchez, and the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, accompanied by Vivek Badrinath in his first MWC as general director.
MWC26 is held at a crucial time for the industry, in a context where 5G has advanced, while AI and growing digital threats accelerate the necessary transformation of organizations, economies and industries. In his keynote address, Vivek Badrinath highlighted three urgent priorities for the coming years: investment in standalone 5G networks, the need to ensure open and inclusive access to AI, and coordination between the private sector and governments to build a safer digital future for all. “The challenges are enormous, but the opportunities are exciting,” he stressed during his speech.
Throughout the initial conferences, great leaders of technology companies and operators once again highlighted the great strategic pillars that will define the future of the telecommunications ecosystem: trust in technology, network security and collaboration on a global scale. This last message was supported by the announcement by the GSMA Foundry and the European Space Agency (ESA) about new financing of up to 100 million euros. The objective is to promote projects that accelerate the convergence between the aerospace and mobile industries.
The Mobile World Congress 2026 has not only served as a showcase for new technologies, but as the stage where the main lines of the infrastructure that will define the next decade have been drawn. Today’s day has made a strong message clear: the future is hybrid, sustainable and, above all, global.
Amazon’s great bet on Spain
The news that took the vast majority by surprise has come from Amazon Web Services. David Zapolsky has confirmed a strategic turn with a monumental investment of 33,000 million dollars in Spain, which represents an increase of 18,000 million over what was projected just two years ago.
Beyond the figures, what is relevant is the vision behind the capital: turning the country into the European epicenter of Artificial Intelligence. The key lies in integration: Amazon is not only expanding its data infrastructure, but is also committed to energy self-sufficiency with seven new solar installations and an advanced manufacturing plant in Aragon. It is a movement that seeks to close the loop between the insatiable demand for AI computing and the supply of clean energy.
The company also plans to build supply chain-related facilities in Aragon, which will support data center operations in Spain and Europe. When fully operational, it is estimated that these facilities will be able to generate approximately 1,800 jobs in Aragon. The project will include a factory dedicated to the assembly and final testing of servers, a logistics warehouse, and a facility for manufacturing and repairing AI and machine learning (ML) servers, a key component of Amazon’s circular economy strategy.
Terrestrial and satellite connectivity
While terrestrial infrastructure is strengthened on Spanish soil, we have also learned about important strategies related to connectivity. With the launch of Satellite Connect Europe, Vodafone has managed to bring telecommunications operators such as Orange and Telefónica to an agreement, betting on an open standard so that all of them can integrate satellite services into traditional networks.
MWC 2026 serves as a stage to draw the guidelines for the infrastructure that will define the next decade
For its part, Starlink continues to strengthen its commitment to the end user. Elon Musk’s company has formalized its alliance with Deutsche Telekom with the aim of facilitating Direct-to-Cell connectivity. Unlike Vodafone’s network model, this approach seeks to eliminate shadow zones in rural and geographically isolated areas, allowing any standard mobile device to connect directly to space, consolidating Starlink as an essential piece of European mobile infrastructure.
