From Technical Scarcity to the Complexity of Choice: Telenor IoT Releases 2026 IoT Predictions Report

For much of the last decade, the Internet of Things (IoT) has been defined by a struggle for access—finding reliable coverage in remote areas and managing rigid, locked-in SIM cards. Today, Telenor IoT announces the release of the IoT Predictions Report 2026, outlining how that era is ending and a new challenge is emerging: managing complexity at scale.

According to the report, the industry has entered what Telenor IoT calls the Era of Boundless Connectivity. As network options expand, enterprises are gaining unprecedented flexibility — but also facing a more complex landscape of technologies, regulations, and operating models.

The Shift to Orchestration
The 2026 report argues that the fundamental question for CTOs and COOs has changed. It is no longer "Can we connect it?" but "How do we orchestrate it?".

On one side, the connectivity toolbox is expanding rapidly, with innovations such as Satellite IoT (NTN) and SGP.32 (IoT eSIM) enabling new levels of flexibility and global reach. On the other, governments are increasingly recognizing IoT as critical infrastructure, introducing stricter regulatory requirements such as the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) and more.

Three Forces Shaping the 2026 Landscape

The report highlights three key trends expected to shape enterprise IoT over the coming 24 months:

• Reach moves beyond coverage maps. As hybrid terrestrial-satellite networks mature, including NB-IoT over NTN, global visibility for high-value assets is expected to expand, helping reduce traditional coverage blind spots.
  

• Flexibility introduces commercial complexity. The SGP.32 standard removes technical lock-in from legacy SIM models. However, the report warns it also requires enterprises to manage a more fragmented ecosystem of local profiles, compliance requirements, and commercial agreements.
  

• Security becomes a license to operate. The era of "deploy and forget" is legally dead. With the EU Cyber Resilience Act coming into force, security is no longer a feature but a mandatory lifecycle commitment. Non-compliance in 2026 means market exclusion.

A New Operating Model
The report concludes that organizations treating connectivity purely as a commodity risk falling behind in an increasingly regulated and technologically diverse landscape. Leading enterprises will instead adopt connectivity as a continuously orchestrated operating model — integrating network logic, compliance, and commercial management into a unified strategy.

Availability
The IoT Predictions Report 2026 includes market analysis, executive readiness checklists, and regulatory insights designed to help enterprises prepare for the next phase of IoT.


Download the full report here: https://iot.telenor.com/iot-insights/iot-predictions-2026/