Clifford Chance

“The continued roll-out of 5G and full fibre connectivity, pending commercialisation of 5.5G, early stage thinking around 6G, and emergence of non-terrestrial networks integrated with traditional cellular networks all point to a need for significant capital expenditure. Where will the money come from? Greater collaboration will likely be part of the answer, with attempts by operators to join forces in elements of their business (while competing voraciously in others), and delayering strategies creating opportunities for minority investors.". - Nick Spurrell - Partner  - London

"Amidst the excitement surrounding AI, 5.5G/6G, and robotic bartenders, a significant insight from the conference, though not as headline-grabbing, was the industry's shift towards structural separation, or 'delayering', of core telecom functions. This trend is reshaping the telecoms sector across Europe, with operators spinning-off specialised entities like NetCos, ServCos, TowerCos, and FibreCos, driven by the need for investment. By considering more singularly-focused entities, investors, particularly private equity and infrastructure specialists, can more readily understand, invest in and manage these assets."  - Mark Fisher - Counsel - London

EU mobile network operators collectively issued a strong appeal for regulatory reform, citing their shared difficulties in scaling up to secure investments vital for maintaining world-class connectivity in Europe. They expressed frustration over continued regulatory scepticism towards network consolidation on competition and foreign investment grounds, burdensome and repeated costs for spectrum rights draining funds from the telecoms ecosystem, and regulatory barriers hindering the creation of a single European telecoms market. Internal Markets Commissioner Thierry Breton  conceded that current regulations need updating. He also implied that the EC could adopt a more pragmatic approach when assessing prospective market consolidation. It remains uncertain, however, that these welcome words reflect a consistent policy approach at the EC or national levels, and that the urgency required by industry will be matched by regulators" - Laila Wood - Senior Associate - London

"Ethical AI, human-centric approaches, and transparency were highlighted as crucial components of the AI sector. The consensus was clear: all businesses will have to acquire, develop, and in all cases use AI tools to remain competitive, with benefits including increased productivity, efficiency, and improved customer experiences. Given the significant financial stakes, legal certainty to support AI development was considered absolutely critical. Concerns about deepfakes, children's digital safety, and security were unanimously acknowledged, with stakeholders agreeing on the necessity of responsible technology development, including humanoid robots like Ameca, in response to societal demands." - Juan Cuerva -Counsel - Barcelona

"What struck me as a first-timer at the MWC is the degree of attention telecom market players pay to AI and IOT. There was a strong presence by tech start-ups who are eager to compete and attract the attention of potential business partners. While many of them will ultimately fail, I'm  interested to see  how those that are successful transform the world we are living in." Krzysztof Hajdamowicz  - Counsel - Warsaw