Barcelona, March 2026 — At Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026, Cisco showcased a strategic evolution of its Internet-of-Things (IoT) and networking portfolio, focusing on the convergence between connectivity, observability, and security with artificial intelligence (AI)-native operations. In an era dominated by large-scale data and distributed intelligence, Cisco’s announcements reflected a clear commitment to enabling mobile service providers (MSPs), enterprises, and industrial players to manage complex connectivity ecosystems globally.
Although industry attention is geared towards generative AI startups and application-level innovation, Cisco’s demonstrations and partnerships at MWC reaffirmed the importance of cutting-edge network infrastructure as a foundation for AI-driven outcomes, particularly in IoT and edge domains.
Setting a New Standard for IoT Connectivity: SGP.32 with Tele2 IoT and IDEMIA
Enterprises still lack the maturity to implement and manage IoT projects, especially in complex architectures involving multiple vendors, heterogeneous technologies, and integration across IT and OT systems. According to the Frost & Sullivan global IT decision-makers (ITDM) survey in Q4 2025, 24% of IoT organizations are facing challenges to scale IoT solutions.
While initially IoT-managed connectivity platforms were siloed, managing only cellular IoT connectivity, LPWAN, or satellite, today most platforms operate as a single pane of glass, integrating multiple connectivity technologies and cloud applications through application programming interfaces (APIs). This ensures interoperability and mitigates some of the challenges associated with scaling up IoT solutions.
The launch of GSMA’s new standard, SGP.32 eSIM IoT technical specification, is a game-changer for managing cellular IoT devices by facilitating provisioning and management. Providers are working to get their platforms compliant with SGP.32 certified, enabling seamless orchestration across operators, OEMs, and enterprises for large-scale deployments. The headline IoT announcement at Cisco’s MWC keynote was the launch of a commercial end-to-end IoT connectivity solution based on the GSMA’s SGP.32 specification, delivered in collaboration with Tele2 IoT, a Nordic and Baltic service provider, and IDEMIA, a French SIM and security vendor.
SGP.32 represents the next evolution of embedded subscriber identity module (eSIM) technology for IoT, addressing the critical need for scalable, flexible, and global interoperable connectivity management. Unlike legacy approaches with static SIM profiles tied to specific MSP or regional footprints, SGP.32 enables:
- Single stock keeping unit (SKU) global provisioning, dramatically reducing SKUs and inventory complexity.
- Remote subscription management optimized for constrained IoT devices.
- Universal eSIM profile framework that accelerates global deployments across industries.
Cisco’s contribution focuses on using its Mobility Services Platform (MSP) and IoT Control Center to orchestrate device integration, lifecycle management, and connectivity automation. Tele2 IoT offers integrated global connectivity, and IDEMIA provides SGP.32 profile provisioning and secure trust anchoring.
This partnership points to a strategic shift: Cisco is not only supporting IoT connectivity but also helping to define operational frameworks that boost openness, scalability, and flexibility. In practice, companies no longer need a fragmented set of SIMs for regional deployments; instead, they can treat connectivity as a service, enabling dynamic operations at the network edge across different geographic regions.
Unified Wireless Infrastructure for Multi-Protocol IoT
The ecosystem is moving toward heterogeneous networks, with connectivity management platforms now orchestrating traffic across low Earth orbit (LEO) for low latency and high data rates, geostationary (GEO) for high bandwidth, and terrestrial networks. According to Frost & Sullivan’s latest ITDM survey, organizations are using different types of connectivity technologies in their IoT solutions: 62% traditional cellular, 51% cellular IoT low-power wide-area network (LPWAN), and 37% satellite. Cisco’s booth at MWC emphasized that IoT is not a silo; it must be part of a unified network fabric. Demos highlighted how a single enterprise wireless infrastructure can seamlessly support a convergent combination of:
- 6 GHz band and Wi-Fi 7
- Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
- Zigbee
- Ultra-Wideband (UWB)
Instead of deploying separate networks for Bluetooth asset trackers, Zigbee sensors, and Wi Fi IoT endpoints, Cisco’s architecture allows enterprises to manage multi-protocol IoT traffic through unified controllers and common policy frameworks. In healthcare, logistics, and campus environments, this approach reduces complexity and operational costs while supporting more comprehensive flows of location and telemetry data.
Cisco Spaces: IoT Data and Location Intelligence
Generative AI (GenAI) and large language models (LLMs) enable advanced data analysis and more accurate predictions. Consequently, Big Data has the potential to enable new IoT connections and improve efficiency across different verticals. That is why Cisco’s Spaces cloud platform aims to transform wireless infrastructure into data sources for real-time analytics and location services. At the event, Cisco presented a demo on:
- Crowd density heatmaps
- Asset tracking
- Footfall analytics for large venues
By using Wi-Fi as a sensor layer, Spaces democratizes IoT insights for operational stakeholders. Cisco’s approach demonstrates how infrastructure layers can generate business-relevant intelligence without requiring dedicated IoT hardware.
Analytically, this reinforces the thesis that observability and IoT data are converging, as network infrastructures are no longer just conduits for traffic; they are platforms for actionable context and decision-supporting intelligence.
Industrial IoT and Ultra Reliable Wireless Backhaul (URWB)
According to Frost & Sullivan’s latest ITDM survey, the automation of manual processes and the improvement of employee safety were the most selected benefits for IoT implementation (47% and 46%, respectively). Another relevant benefit perceived was improved ESG compliance (39%).
The use of IoT sensors and wireless connectivity is enabling companies to reduce energy waste, create comfortable workplaces, and make data-driven decisions. The survey also revealed that IoT is used in applications that encompass security and surveillance (42%), process automation (39%), smart buildings and facilities management (32%), and ESG (26%). Cisco introduced Ultra Reliable Wireless Backhaul (URWB), built on enterprise Wi-Fi and optimized for deterministic performance in industrial environments. The demonstrations included real-time control of automated vehicles and devices, highlighting the feasibility of wireless backhaul in environments traditionally dominated by wired Fieldbus or proprietary radio systems.
For the manufacturing, port, and logistics sectors, URWB indicates a shift toward wireless architectures capable of real-time operations, expanding the applicability of standard corporate networks to operational technology (OT) grade deployments.
AI-Assisted IoT Connectivity Management
According to the ITDM survey, by the end of 2025, most organizations will incorporate AI and ML into their IoT solutions (51%). Adoption is highest in the high-tech sector (67%), where companies are embedding AI more deeply across the IoT stack, from the edge to the cloud. Early implementations typically focus on AI-assisted dashboards, reporting, device management, anomaly detection, and automated provisioning within IoT platforms and connectivity management platforms (CMPs). More advanced, AI-native capabilities are gaining traction, including edge AI processing and autonomous IoT systems that can self-optimize with minimal human intervention.
In the evolving landscape of 2026, CMPs have moved beyond simple SIM lifecycle management into proactive, self-healing ecosystems. Most of the vendors now leverage AI, but their focus is limited to anomaly detection, autonomous connectivity switching, and customer experience. AI is still not fully embedded in CMP’s core. Cisco’s presentation at MWC showed off emphasized AI-native operations. IoT connectivity, from massive fleets of devices to edge gateways, is becoming too complex for manual oversight.
Cisco’s portfolio integrates machine learning (ML) and autonomous workflows to:
- Predict connectivity anomalies
- Automate provisioning and remediation
- Analyze insights from telemetry at scale
This assisted AI approach aligns naturally with the demands of SGP—32-based deployments, where dynamic connectivity policies and profiles must be resolved without human bottlenecks.
The company is also expanding its Cisco Silicon One architecture portfolio to deliver routing and switching capabilities for AI and networking needs for hyperscalers, data centers, service providers, and enterprises. The recently released Cisco Nexus data center Smart Switches, Silicon One A100, and P200 routing silicon are breakthrough innovations, thanks to Cisco´s scalable, programmable unified networking and purpose-built product series that address every function of the network. Cisco Silicon One is the only silicon partner included in NVIDIA’s Spectrum-X Ethernet networking platform.
Telco Monetization and the IoT Opportunity
Over the past few years, many MSPs have established dedicated digital business units to tap into opportunities in digital services arising from changing consumer lifestyles and needs. This is expected to create new revenue streams and help offset the decline/stagnancy in core revenues.
Currently, MSPs are investing in cloud, big data, and security, as well as connectivity, to become digital telcos. A broad portfolio, sales reach, and capillary infrastructure are differentiating assets for capturing digital opportunity. As a result, MSPs are shifting from selling connectivity to providing data products. IoT connectivity, especially when enriched with analytics, AI-integrated security, and lifecycle automation, represents a compelling value proposition.
Cisco’s positioning helps carriers:
- Offer managed IoT connectivity globally
- Provide secure and observable device fleets
- Build differentiated enterprise services
This is a crucial evolution, as MSPs compete with hyperscale cloud providers and virtualization-focused network approaches. Cisco’s vision for IoT infrastructure-centric offers MSPs a way to leverage their existing strengths in routing, policy control, and managed services.
Conclusion
MWC 2026 was a milestone for Cisco’s IoT strategy. The SGP.32 partnership with Tele2 IoT and IDEMIA positions Cisco as one of the leaders in next-generation IoT connectivity standards, at a time when operational simplicity and global scale are prerequisites, not extras.
By combining unified wireless infrastructure, innovation in industrial reliability, AI-enhanced connectivity management, and new monitoring paradigms, Cisco has demonstrated a holistic IoT strategy that spans from silicon and DevOps workflows to service monetization and enterprise value creation.
For businesses and service providers, the message is clear: IoT success in the age of AI demands secure, scalable, and intelligent connectivity, and Cisco is designing the platform for it. AI agents and physical AI will only be feasible through a smart infrastructure foundation.
