Mobile World Congress 2025 (MWC25): Key Highlights and Announcements
The Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 in Barcelona once again showcased the latest advancements in telecommunications, mobile technologies, and enterprise connectivity. With over 109,000 attendees from 205 countries, the event served as a pivotal platform for industry leaders to unveil cutting-edge innovations and discuss key trends shaping the future of mobile networks.
We have started the week with Canalys & Omdia breakfast briefing at MWC 2025: "Partnering to Thrive in 2025" which provided a great overview of the prevalent themes of the event with the exception of 6G which was largely absent from the event.
Canalys & Omdia breakfast briefing at MWC 2025
AI and Automation: Transforming Telecom
Artificial Intelligence (AI) took center stage at MWC 2025, as telecom giants unveiled AI-driven initiatives aimed at enhancing network intelligence, automation, and customer experiences.
Open Telecom AI Platform: AMD, Cisco, Nokia, and Jio Platforms announced a new AI-driven telecom platform designed to integrate AI and automation into every network layer. This initiative will leverage Agentic AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), Small Language Models (SLMs), and other ML techniques to optimize telecom and digital services.
Huawei’s AI Core Network: Huawei introduced the first AI-native core network, marking a major leap from AI-powered to AI-native infrastructure. This innovation integrates AI agents within 5G-A Intelligent Core, boosting network efficiency and computing capabilities.
DeepSeek AI Growth: AI was a dominant theme, with DeepSeek-powered products emerging across telecom applications, signaling China’s rapid evolution in AI adoption within mobile networks.
5G and Private Networks: Expanding Connectivity
MWC 2025 reaffirmed 5G’s role in enterprise connectivity, with significant advancements in private networks, industrial applications, and telecom cloud integration.
Global 5G Adoption: The industry now boasts over 2 billion 5G connections worldwide, alongside 4,700 private LTE/5G networks deployed by the end of 2024.
Manufacturing & Private 5G Summit: Experts from AT&T, ServiceNow, and AltaGas discussed how AI-driven Private 5G networks enhance efficiency, security, and cost reduction.
Telefonica & AWS Partnership: Europe’s first 5G Standalone (SA) call using on-site and public cloud architecture was completed with Nokia’s Cloud RAN solution on AWS infrastructure.
Ericsson’s 5G Smart Airports Initiative: Hosted "The Future-Ready Airport" panel, featuring experts from Airbus, Capgemini, TDC and EUWENA, demonstrating how 5G is revolutionizing aviation connectivity.
Red Hat’s Telecom Expansion: Announced new partnerships with Orange, SoftBank, KDDI, and Rakuten Mobile to further 5G and cloud innovations.
Satellite & Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN): The Next Frontier
For the first time in years, MWC’s NTN Summit was oversubscribed, indicating the industry’s growing focus on expanding connectivity to remote and underserved areas.
Eutelsat, Airbus & Mediatek Collaboration: Conducted the world’s first 5G NTN trial using OneWeb’s low Earth orbit satellites.
Cubic & Skylo Partnership: Announced a satellite-based IoT network to enhance connectivity in rural and isolated areas.
T-Mobile’s Flying Base Station: Demonstrated the Primoco One 150 drone, which delivers 200 Mbps downlink and 75 Mbps uplink, providing connectivity to 1,200 users in remote regions.
Originally focused on basic text and voice services, it has now broadened to incorporate data capabilities. SmartViser is set to support with any testing need on NTN.
Smartphones & Tech Innovations
MWC 2025 showcased several high-profile smartphone launches and next-gen hardware innovations:
Xiaomi 15 Ultra: Co-engineered with Leica, featuring a 200MP periscope lens, redefining mobile photography.
Samsung Galaxy A56: A budget-friendly 5G device with long-term software support and a 50MP camera.
Nothing Phone (3a) Pro: Focused on camera enhancements and innovative design.
Lenovo’s AI-Powered Laptops: Introduced the ThinkBook Flip, a flexible OLED device, and Yoga Solar PC, a solar-powered AI laptop.
Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem Growth
MWC 2025 underscored the importance of collaboration across industries to drive telecom innovation and growth:
GSMA’s Expansion into Automotive & Aviation: Partnered with 5GAA, JASPAR, Outsight, Safran, and Seamless Air Alliance to advance 5G solutions in transport.
Ericsson’s Ecosystem Play: Brought together partners at its MWC booth to highlight real-world 5G enterprise use cases.
NTT & Nokia Unveil 6G Hardware Plans: Provided the first look at next-gen 6G hardware, setting the stage for future connectivity.
SmartViser & Anritsu Presence at MWC25
SmartViser made a significant impact at MWC 2025 with key announcements:
Introducing Viser Temp.o and Viser Mate.o: Expanding into network monitoring automation, these tools provide:
Viser Temp.o – Active (foreground) network monitoring for real-time insights.
Viser Mate.o – Passive (background) network monitoring for continuous network assessment.
Expanded Capabilities for Viser Neo+: Enhanced with low-layer messaging capture and advanced analytics.
Mission Critical Communications KPI Support: New KPIs for MCPTT (Push-to-Talk) and MCPTV (Push-to-Video), ensuring high reliability and quality.
Speech Quality MOS Testing: Now supports VoNR, VoLTE, and OTT calls (e.g., Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp) on both Android and iOS devices.
EU Energy Labelling Regulation & Benchmark Reports: Providing compliance insights and reports for manufacturers.
Viser Neo Test Automation: Enhancing device testing efficiency and reliability.
Quality of Experience (QoE) Assessments: Utilizing real smartphones for true real-world network performance evaluations.
Joint Demos with Anritsu at MWC 2025
SmartViser and Anritsu collaborated on groundbreaking demonstrations at Stand D41, Hall 5:
The Future of Service Assurance – AI-Assured Networks for an Autonomous Tomorrow
Showcased AI-powered Service Assurance platforms, integrating Ookla’s DownDetector for real-time network issue detection.
Highlighted Private Networks' role in secure and controlled operations.
End-to-End Latency Testing for URLLC and MEC Deployments
Demonstrated latency analysis between MEC applications and mobile terminals.
Featured Anritsu’s high-performance MT1000A tester for accurate real-world network evaluations.
Utilized SmartViser Neo tools for multi-domain KPI measurements.
These demonstrations showcased cutting-edge solutions for latency-critical applications, from autonomous driving to industrial automation.
Where Was 6G?
Unlike previous editions, 6G was largely absent from MWC 2025 discussions. However, expectations are high for the upcoming 3GPP workshop in Incheon, South Korea (March 10-11, 2025), which may provide further updates on 6G standardization and development. The upcoming 6G workshop will be chaired by the leadership of the three Technical Specification Groups (TSGs) of 3GPP: For TSG SA - Puneet Jain, TSG RAN - Ronald Borsato and for TSG CT - Peter Schmitt.
Conclusion: Partnerships, AI, and 5G Dominate MWC 2025
MWC 2025 underscored the power of partnerships, the growing role of AI in telecom operations, and the continued expansion of 5G and NTN solutions. While 6G discussions were minimal, early collaborations suggest the industry is laying the groundwork for the next wave of telecom evolution.
Susie Siouti is the Chief Commercial Officer for SmartViser helping organisations in the Telecommunications industry offer superior end-user quality of experience and service with the introduction of innovative test automation products. Susie has 20 years of experience in the Telecoms industry and in that time has led teams across the world mainly in Testing and Compliance. Holding an MBA from Henley Business School brings a diverse set of skills and expertise, including business acumen, strategic thinking, financial management, sales and marketing expertise, leadership, and innovation.
Susie joined SmartViser in 2016, is part of the internal steering committee, responsible for developing and implementing the company's commercial strategy and encouraging a customer-centric culture. The main mission is to help organizations to create value by offering better quality products and services by improving operational efficiency and innovation.
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