Telecom trends in 2026: 5G monetisation, AI-led traffic, APIs, digital trust

India’s telecom sector is preparing for a sharp shift in how networks earn money and handle traffic by 2026, with 5G at the centre. Ericsson projects India’s 5G user base will grow from about 394 million at the end of 2025 to more than 1 billion by 2031, reaching roughly 79% of mobile subscribers as 4G usage tapers off.

Industry players including Jio, Ericsson, Nokia and the Cellular Operators Association of India see three linked themes: operators trying to monetise 5G through new services, rising data loads driven by AI applications, and wider use of telecom APIs to open network capabilities to developers. Alongside this, they highlight a growing need to build and maintain digital trust as more critical services move onto mobile networks and data use deepens.