MUMBAI: According to Juniper Research’s latest Top Trends Report, 2026 is becoming the year when artificial intelligence, satellites and fintechs are redrawing the telecom industry’s competitive map, forcing traditional operators to reinvent themselves or risk becoming little more than digital plumbing. The research house says the sector has reached a pivotal inflection point, with AI agents entering the mainstream, satellite connectivity moving beyond niche deployments and a fresh wave of non-telecom brands launching mobile services. Leading the charge are AI agents, identified as the year’s most transformative trend, evolving into intelligent digital workers capable of handling entire customer journeys, from authentication and billing to refunds, CRM updates and service changes. Communications Platform-as-a-Service (CPaaS), Contact Centre-as-a-Service (CCaaS) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) providers are embedding these capabilities, while Large Action Models (LAMs) are taking AI beyond conversation into execution. Multi-orbit satellite networks, combining GEO, MEO, LEO and VLEO constellations, are emerging as the backbone of next-generation connectivity, driven by direct-to-device services, AI-powered network optimisation and tighter integration between terrestrial and satellite infrastructure. Banks, retailers and utilities are increasingly launching their own mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs). Juniper Research forecasts the global MVNO subscriber base will climb from 333 million in 2026 to 438 million by 2030, fuelled largely by fintechs and consumer