From legacy VMs to the network brain: Why 2026 is the year of the common telco cloud

Source: Red Hat Blog

As we prepare to head to the Fira and MWC Barcelona 2026, I find myself thinking about an industry question I am constantly asked: “Where is the value?” I’ve spent my career bridging the gap between engineering and the boardroom, worked in the telecoms industry from the days of GPRS to 5G, and I’ve learned one universal truth: Our industry is fantastic at inventing technology, but can occasionally struggle to connect it to the profit and loss (PL). For years, the “State of the Union” in telco was defined by a massive “hype‑to‑reality” gap. But as I look at the horizon for 2026, the cynicism is beginning to fade.