SoftBank’s Telco AI Cloud aims to turn the network into AI infrastructure
SoftBank is trying to reposition itself in telecom-focused AI with what it calls the Telco AI Cloud, shown at MWC 2026. The company describes it as “next-generation social infrastructure,” but in practice it is an attempt to rebuild the mobile network so it can double as large-scale AI infrastructure.
The design ties big GPU data centers directly to the mobile edge through AI-enabled RAN gear. By integrating compute-heavy data centers with edge sites, SoftBank wants traffic from phones, sensors, and enterprise networks to feed AI models closer to where data is generated. The goal is to let operators run both traditional connectivity and AI workloads on the same fabric, turning the network into a distributed compute platform rather than just a data pipe.
More from Telecom
Pakistani mobile operator Jazz has switched on 5G services after receiving a 5G licence from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). The launc...
Telefónica is reworking its network strategy to squeeze more revenue out of data traffic and AI-era services. Speaking at OFC, the company’s CTO outli...
Globe Telecom is extending its LTE and 5G networks across the Philippine province of Tarlac to keep up with growing demand for faster, more reliable m...
India added 7.86 million telecom subscribers in January, lifting the total base to 1.314 billion, according to data from the Telecom Regulatory Author...
BT says it has finished taking Huawei equipment out of its 5G radio access network and is now relying on Ericsson and Nokia. According to BT CTO Greg...
Satellite services provider Globalsat Group has signed a reseller agreement with Amazon’s planned low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network, Project Kui...