MWC 2025 has come to a close, and what an event it was! Our team had an incredible three days in Barcelona meeting new people, connecting with prospects, and catching up with partners. With over 109,000 attendees, and 205 countries and territories represented, MWC once again solidified its position as the premier event for the telecommunications industry, bringing together both global technology giants and emerging disruptors.
And where does Telna fit in? Let’s dive into our key highlights from MWC 2025 and explore the major trends shaping the future of connectivity.
Telna Takes Center Stage at the eSIM Summit
Here are the key takeaways of his presentation:
- Traditional roaming isn’t performing: As many as 90% of mobile users are avoiding it due to high costs and poor user experience.
- MNOs have the opportunity to recapture lost revenue from silent roamers, with travel eSIM.
- With Telna, MNOs don’t have to lose their customers when they travel, they can offer and launch their own branded travel eSIM, with a turnkey, scalable solution.
Attendees also discovered first hand the benefits of Telna’s universal eSIM for digital-first travelers. With one fully programmable SIM card, customers can unlock the world, keeping their home number and staying connected wherever they are.
Greg also sat down with Fierce Network to discuss how Telna is changing the game in the eSIM market:
“Mobile network operators have always provided their service and focused on the local market. They've never really thought of focusing on specific travel corridors. What Telna has brought to the market is a platform that enables MVNOs and MNOs to create custom plans through our APR, through a couple of clicks, through a fully managed service enabling them to launch a travel eSIM app with very little effort or resources on a fully OPEX basis.”
AI Continues to Dominate the Conversation
Following on from last year's event, the topic of AI was once again on everyone’s lips. With over half of providers having either fully or partially integrated AI and automation as of 2024, understanding what the right solutions and strategies are for your business is key.
This formed a key part of the GSMA’s GROW strategy at the event, which focused on fostering industry growth and tackling revenue stagnation. Discussions highlighted how AI and Open Gateway initiatives can drive new revenue streams and improve efficiencies across the telecom sector.
From AI phones to digital twins, new AI solutions and products were unveiled by some of the industry’s biggest players. Regulatory discussions were also front and center, particularly in Europe, where market fragmentation remains a significant challenge. Arthur Mensch, CEO of France’s Mistral AI, emphasized how regulatory hurdles continue to impact both AI innovation and the broader telecommunications landscape.
The Age of Travel eSIM
One of the key topics Telna continues to be at the heart of is the Travel eSIM. As the eSIM market opens, so do the global opportunities, and a key driver is the travel eSIM. Offering boundless connectivity and recapturing silent roamers, eSIMs are crucial not only to providers, but across various industries. Greg shared with Fierce Network how travel, hospitality and fintech companies can benefit from the expansion of eSIM technology:
“A lot of super apps are exploring adding this as a value-added service. So, think about when you book your hotels, and you get offered insurance. Now you'll be offered an eSIM. When you hail a car through a ride-hailing service, wouldn't that be a perfect place to be offered an eSIM? They know exactly when you are on your way to the airport, or you are at the airport and want to remain connected.
So, there are huge opportunities for mobile network operators to penetrate new markets through channel distribution by collaborating with some of these apps that are now looking to become super apps, not only selling their core products but are looking to become more of a marketplace.
We're seeing a lot of banks that are looking to add eSIM as a benefit to some credit cards and incorporate it as a value-added service directly inside their app. So, there are huge opportunities to now monetize roaming, to engage travelers, to connect the unconnected in a way that it's totally digital and user-friendly.”
Until Next Year
Every year, MWC serves to be a place where innovation is celebrated and the path forward for the connectivity industry is highlighted.
If we didn’t have a chance to connect in Barcelona, or if you’d like to dive deeper into the key takeaways from this year’s event, reach out—we’d love to continue the conversation.
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