From 8 to 10 November 2026, the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC) in Qatar will host MWC26 Doha, the premier gathering for technology and connectivity in the Middle East and North Africa. In a historic first, this year’s event is co-located with the United Nations’ ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, uniting global tech executives, government ministers, and regulatory bodies under a single roof. The summit is set to accelerate regional digital transformation by exploring groundbreaking advancements in 5G, artificial intelligence, and smart city infrastructure. Industry leaders, global innovators, and regional pioneers will convene to showcase cutting-edge technologies, build strategic partnerships, and map out the future of global communications.

GSMA Intelligence will be hosting the following sessions, explore our lineup below:

Satellite and NTN Summit

Speakers from leading companies such as Space42, Eutelsat, Ooredoo, Ericsson, SES, Kyivstar, and Es’hailSat Qatar Satellite Company.
Moderated by: Tim Hatt
Time: 13:30–15:30 AST
Date: Sunday, November 8
Location: Frontier Stage

With 2026 marking "go time" for satellite commercialisation, particularly in direct-to-device (D2D) and telco-satellite go-to-market models, ecosystem maturity is driving operator pragmatism around bridging coverage gaps and targeting new revenue streams. Amid significant industry consolidation and handset-level NTN compatibility expansion, Middle East telcos are actively leaning into this momentum with 11 D2D partnerships already established to extend subscriber reach, roaming, and B2B/IoT connectivity. Join us at the Summit as we explore the strategic priorities of mobile-satellite integration, consumer and B2B revenue strategies, technological advances, and the shifting regulatory landscape shaping this vibrant market. 

Enterprise Digital Transformation: What Will Drive the Next Phase of B2B Growth in MENA?
Moderated by: Pablo Iacopino
Time: 10:00–11:30 AST
Date: Sunday 8th November 2026
Location: Zanobia 1 + 2 – JW Marriott Marquis

As enterprise digital transformation accelerates the evolution from telco to tech-co, services beyond connectivity represent the next major wave of B2B growth for operators and the wider ecosystem. Drawing on a GSMA Intelligence global survey of over 6,300 enterprises, including nearly 1,000 across the MENA region, findings reveal an ambitious digital transformation appetite backed by supportive government agendas. Join GSMA Intelligence and senior leaders for an exclusive executive roundtable exploring enterprise investment priorities, the role of 5G, AI, and cloud, tech sovereignty, and the specific strategies required to unlock these premium B2B revenue streams. 

Satellite and Direct-to-Device: Navigating the Starlink Effect in a Sector Moving at Lightspeed
Moderated by: Tim Hatt
Time: 08:30–10:00 AST
Date: Monday 9th November
Location: Zanobia 1 + 2 – JW Marriott Marquis

As 2026 emerges as a pivotal year for satellite direct-to-device (D2D) commercialisation, major industry moves by SpaceX, Amazon, and Rocket Lab are shifting the market focus toward consolidation, viable commercial models, and the strategic role of telcos. In the Middle East, growing operator-satellite collaboration is actively driving network resilience, roaming, and remote coverage, making MWC Doha the ideal backdrop to examine how these global shifts translate regionally. This roundtable will address how Starlink is changing market expectations, which commercial routes offer the best path to scale across consumer and IoT segments, and how telcos can use satellite to extend coverage while retaining customer ownership.

Brain Gain or Brain Drain?: Workforce Capability in the AI Era
Moderated by: Drew MacFarlane
Time: 13:15–14:45 AST
Date: Monday 9th November
Location: Zanobia 1 + 2 – JW Marriott Marquis

Generative tools speed up production, but they also risk eroding the baseline competence, judgment, and analytical confidence that complex work requires. Moving past slide decks and briefings, this 90-minute working session challenges leaders to contest the trade-offs directly: as teams outsource more thinking to software, are we developing sharper professionals or accumulating a hidden capability deficit? Grounded by empirical research across different disciplines, this participant-led debate will pressure-test who is accountable when AI operates outside its wheelhouse, what happens to organizational depth as specialist lines blur, and whether collective intelligence is actually growing or just looking like it is.  

Beyond 5G: The Road to 6G
Moderated by: Tim Hatt
Time: 15:15–16:45 AST
Date: Monday 9th November
Location: Zanobia 1 + 2 – JW Marriott Marquis

As operators begin planning 6G strategies, the industry faces a familiar but unresolved challenge: how to convert network innovation into sustainable commercial value while still working to fully monetise 5G investments. This roundtable will explore how telecom leaders can leverage the 5G Era (including 5G Standalone and 5G-Advanced) as a strategic bridge to 6G, utilizing new enterprise survey data and an early demand index to ensure the next generation is built around viable business outcomes. The session will centre on three core questions: how operators can use current 5G evolutions as a trial period to understand future 6G use cases, what truly differentiates 6G from 5G that customers will actually pay for, and what technology and ecosystem considerations should shape go-to-market strategies.