The Strategic Role of Telecom Providers Across the AI Value Chain 2026

Endnotes 1. S&P Capital IQ & Accenture. (2025). Analysis is of top 35 CSPs selected globally; 2025 refers to last 12 months ending September 2025. 2. Network World. (2025). AI workloads. https://www.networkworld.com/article/3963141/ai-workloads-to-transform- enterprise-networks.html. 3. TM Forum. (2024). AI needs a new networking core. https://inform.tmforum.org/features-and-opinion/ai-needs-a-new- networking-core-are-we-ready-for-it. 4. Reuters. (2025). Nvidia’s pitch for sovereign AI resonates. https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/nvidias-pitch- sovereign-ai-resonates-with-eu-leaders-2025-06-16/. 5. PYMNTS. (2025). Saudi Arabia and UAE vie for Middle East AI supremacy. https://www.pymnts.com/artificial- intelligence-2/2025/saudi-arabia-and-uae-vie-for-middle-east-ai-supremacy/. 6. TM Forum. (2024). Sovereign clouds roll into Europe. https://inform.tmforum.org/features-and-opinion/sovereign-clouds- roll-in-to-europe. 7. Accenture. (2025). B2B narrative. https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/communications-media/reinventing-b2b- connected-industry. 8. Ericsson. (2025). Mobility report. https://www.ericsson.com/4aca6f/assets/local/reports-papers/mobility-report/ documents/2025/ericsson-mobility-report-november-2025.pdf. 9. Ciena. (2024). Omdia AI traffic forecasts. https://www.ciena.com/insights/blog/2024/networks-will-shape-the-future-of- artificial-intelligence. 10. TM Forum. (n.d.). 5G pricing and monetization innovation. https://www.tmforum.org/collaboration/catalyst-program/5g- pricing-and-monetization-innovation/. 11. 3GPP . (2023). Slicing charging. https://www.3gpp.org/technologies/slicing-charging. 12. GSMA. (2026). Charting AI Monetisation. https://www.gsma.com/solutions-and-impact/connectivity-for-good/external- affairs/gsma_resources/charting-ai-monestisation-the-telco-landscape-report-2026/. 13. T-Mobile. (2025). Edge control. https://www.t-mobile.com/news/business/t-mobile-launches-edge-control-and-t-platform. 14. Ciena. (n.d.). What is DCI?. https://www.ciena.com/insights/what-is/What-is-DCI.html. 15. Cisco. (2025). Leading the Next Era of Intelligent Connectivity. https://blogs.cisco.com/news/leading-the-next-era-of- intelligent-connectivity. 16. IDC. (2025). Worldwide datacentre interconnection services forecast, 2025-2029. https://my.idc.com/getdoc. jsp?containerId=US52272025. 17. IDC. (2025). Worldwide datacentre colocation services forecast, 2025-2029. https://my.idc.com/getdoc. jsp?containerId=US53564925. 18. Cellnex. (n.d.). Datacentres. https://www.cellnex.com/technology/edge-datacentres/. 19. TM Forum. (2025). Autonomous Networks implementation guide. https://inform.tmforum.org/research-and-analysis/ reports/autonomous-networks-implementation-guide. 20. TM Forum. (2024). Autonomous Networks best practices. https://inform.tmforum.org/research-and-analysis/reports/ autonomous-networks-in-search-of-best-practice. 21. SNS Telecom & IT. (2025). Telecom Industry Outlook 2025. https://www.snstelecom.com/private5g. 22. TBR Insight Center. (2025). Private Cellular Networks Market Forecast. https://tbri.com/spotlight-report/private-cellular- networks-market-forecast/. 23. Tecknexus. (2024). 5G campus network with DT. https://tecknexus.com/5gusecase/merseburg-university-launches-5g- campus-network-with-deutsche-telekom/. 24. DT. (n.d.). Campus networks. https://geschaeftskunden.telekom.de/business/loesungen/digitalisierung/it-infrastructure/ netzwerkloesungen/campus-netze. 25. TM Forum. (2025). How Naas is driving the evolution of telco operations. https://inform.tmforum.org/research-and- analysis/reports/how-naas-is-driving-the-evolution-of-telco-operations. 26. TM Forum. (n.d.). NaaS use cases. https://www.tmforum.org/catalysts/projects/C24.0.625/business-driven-automation- enabled-by-360-observability-and-intelligence#participants. 27. Accenture. (2025). B2B narrative. https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/communications-media/reinventing-b2b- connected-industry. 28. Analysys Mason. (2025). NaaS revenue forecast. https://www.analysysmason.com/research/content/articles/naas- revenue-forecast-rma21/. 29. Gartner. (2025). AI-optimized IaaS. https://www.gartner.com/document-reader/ document/6725334?ref=solrAll&refval=523158902&. The Strategic Role of Telecom Providers across the AI Value Chain 29