Every year the mobile industry descends on Barcelona for Mobile World Congress (MWC), and while there’s always plenty of hype around phones and AI, there were also some interesting developments for the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem this year.
Here are a few of the announcements and themes that stood out for me.
Satellite IoT is moving into the mainstream
One of the most interesting developments is the continued push towards satellite-enabled IoT connectivity.
At MWC, the GSMA Foundry and the European Space Agency announced a new initiative providing up to €100 million in funding to accelerate innovation in satellite-to-device connectivity, AI-driven networks and future 6G technologies.
This is aimed at combining terrestrial mobile networks with satellite networks so devices can stay connected even in areas without traditional cellular coverage.
You can read the announcement here:
GSMA Foundry and ESA announce €100m funding for AI, satellite and 6G innovation
For IoT deployments this could be significant. It opens the door for reliable connectivity in areas such as agriculture, maritime tracking, environmental monitoring and remote infrastructure.
New cellular IoT chipsets for low-power devices
Another area getting attention this year was low-power cellular IoT hardware.
At the event, Nordic Semiconductor announced a major expansion of its cellular IoT portfolio including the nRF92 and nRF93 series, designed to support LTE-M, NB-IoT, satellite connectivity and future 5G features.
Full details here:
Nordic Semiconductor cellular IoT announcements at MWC 2026
These platforms are designed for very low power consumption, meaning IoT sensors could run for years on a battery while still maintaining reliable connectivity.
For industries deploying large numbers of sensors (utilities, smart buildings, logistics etc.) this is a key requirement.
AI is starting to run the networks
Another recurring theme this year was the idea of AI-driven telecom networks.
Operators are increasingly using AI to monitor network performance, optimise traffic, and automatically detect faults. While this might sound like a telecom-only story, it has real implications for IoT.
Smarter networks mean:
- better reliability for connected devices
- improved capacity for large IoT deployments
- automated management of millions of sensors
As IoT deployments scale into the millions of devices, this type of automation will become essential.
Satellite + cellular convergence
Perhaps the biggest shift emerging from MWC is that connectivity is no longer just about mobile towers.
The industry is clearly moving towards hybrid connectivity, where devices can switch between:
- traditional cellular networks
- private 5G networks
- satellite connectivity
This convergence means future IoT devices could stay connected almost anywhere on the planet.
Final thoughts
The biggest takeaway from this year’s event is that IoT connectivity is becoming more resilient, more intelligent and far more global.
Satellite connectivity, AI-driven networks and new low-power chipsets are all coming together to enable the next wave of IoT deployments.
For businesses building connected solutions, these developments could significantly expand where and how IoT devices can be deployed over the next few years.