MWC Barcelona 2026 arrives at a pivotal moment for the telecommunications industry. As MNOs navigate a landscape marked by financial pressures and uncertainty around their evolving relevancy and role in the AI era, the need for transformative solutions is clear.
As we noted in a recent article, we believe the answer lies in Intelligent Growth, a philosophy underpinning our entire our presence at MWC 2026. Join us at the Rakuten Booth (Gran Via – 2C70) as we unveil strategies, innovations and partnerships designed to help your business thrive in this dynamic new era.
Here are some of the key moments that show how intelligent growth is being applied in practice.
We are sharing expert commentary on our presence this year through our #TelcoTapas initiative. In this LinkedIn-focused campaign, Rakuten Symphony executives will post short video perspectives on the strategic and operational challenges shaping the telecom industry – ahead of MWC. See what’s been posted so far.
Rakuten Group Chairman and CEO Mickey Mikitani will kick off the show with a keynote session titled “Ecosystem Architects: Forging the Future of Connectivity and Commerce” (Monday, March 2, 11:00–11:30 a.m. CET, Turing Stage). Mikitani will present service blueprints that MNOs can use to help unlock new revenue growth and customer value in both mature and emerging markets.
In addition to Mikitani anticipated keynote, several Rakuten Symphony executives will also participate in panels that deepen the conversation.
Security remains a foundational concern for telecom operators. Nagendra Bykampadi, Rakuten Symphony’s Global Head Of Product Security, will address this in a panel discussion titled: “Cybersecurity in an Uncertain World.” This is the first presentation of the Security Summit (Tuesday, March 3, 9:30–11:00 a.m. CET, GSMA Summits Stage, Hall 6). Bykampadi will also discuss how Rakuten Symphony’s security approach enabled Rakuten Mobile to build network resilience.
Energy efficiency has become a structural constraint for MNOs. Devesh Gautam, Rakuten Symphony’s SVP of Technology, will address this as part of a panel titled Energy and Towers Efficiency Benchmark (Tuesday, March 3, 11:30–12:30 a.m., CC2 GSMA Insights Hub Stage, Hall 2). Gautam will join analysts from GSMA to discuss energy efficiency benchmarking and GSMA’s five-year benchmarking project that is helping MNOs better understand and optimize their energy consumption.
Additionally, Subha Srinivasan, Rakuten Symphony’s SVP of Global Services, will moderate a panel titled: “Seeing Double: Digital Twins as the Smartest Bet for Business” (Wednesday, March 4, 11:00–11:30 a.m. CET, Turing Stage). She will discuss how AI-first operating models can enable digital twins that can simulate, monitor, and optimize physical assets and processes.
The Rakuten Booth (Gran Via – 2C70) will showcase how Rakuten Symphony’s platform approach translates into real-world deployments and operational outcomes.
One new highlight for 2026 is our SheConnects session, focused on leadership perspectives around AI, cloud transformation and responsible technology, hosted by Subha Srinivasan. Panel members will discuss AI and cloud transformation, Open RAN, network innovation, sustainability and responsible technology. Confirmed speakers include Cristina Rodriguez, VP/GM of Network and Edge Go to Market at Intel, and Paola Salinas, a Board Member at NUBICOM, with additional speakers to come. The panel will be hosted in the booth on Monday, March 2 at 2 p.m. CET.
The booth will host product demonstrations on cloud, Open RAN, OSS and the Rakuten ecosystem. There will also be a Partner Zone with members of the Rakuten Symphony hardware, software and reseller ecosystem to showcase the breadth of products and services that can be used in conjunction with Rakuten Symphony solutions. This ecosystem enables MNOs to design solutions that are modular, interoperable and aligned with their specific operational requirements.
We’re teaming up with the Network Management Group to moderate in-booth panel discussions with Rakuten experts and customers and partners such as AT&T, Qualcomm, Eridan, Axiata, Druid and others. Selected in-booth sessions will explore topics such as:
In addition, we will host dedicated in-booth sessions with TIP and TelecomTV, bringing together industry voices to explore key developments shaping the telecom landscape. Topics and speakers will be confirmed soon.
Stop by the booth for our full schedule of talks with key customers and partners, which will span topics such as private networks, AI/automation and the Rakuten ecosystem, among others. While you are there, make sure to get your invitation to the booth happy hour taking place on Tuesday, March 3.
Join us at MWC to explore how intelligent growth is being applied across real-world telecom environments. To book a meeting in advance, to experience a demo or talk with an expert, sign up on our MWC page: https://symphony.rakuten.com/mwc.
