EuCNC & 6G Summit 2026: 6G Connecting Intelligence

The EuCNC & 6G Summit 2026 took place in Málaga, Spain, from 2 to 5 June 2026. For anyone following the evolution of 6G, this is one of the key annual events in Europe, bringing together researchers, industry players, policy makers, standards experts, vendors, operators, SMEs and European projects working on the next generation of connectivity.

The theme for this year was “6G Connecting Intelligence”, which nicely captures where the 6G conversation is heading. It is no longer only about faster radios, wider bandwidths or new spectrum bands. Those are still important, of course, but the broader discussion is now about how networks can become more intelligent, more resilient, more sustainable, more programmable and more useful to society and industry.

The final programme gives a good indication of the scale of the event. There were 195 papers across seven tracks, 40 papers in AI/ML for communications alone, 4 tutorials, 12 special sessions, 16 workshops, 9 convened sessions, 4 keynotes, 3 panels and 50 posters. The exhibition also continued to grow, with 60 booths showcasing developments from European projects, companies and universities. In other words, this was not just a conference about 6G visions. It was also about the practical building blocks, experiments, tools and collaborations that will shape what 6G eventually becomes.

The keynotes reflected this shift very well. Cayetano Carbajo Martín from Telefónica spoke about transforming telecom networks from infrastructure into intelligent platforms. This is a very important topic because telecom operators are no longer thinking only in terms of coverage and capacity. The future network has to support cloud-native architectures, distributed computing, programmable services, automation, open innovation and more flexible operating models.

Magnus Frodigh from Ericsson Research explored the idea of a 6G/AI intelligent fabric for tomorrow’s society. This is where the 6G discussion becomes much bigger than mobile broadband. If AI agents, distributed intelligence, sensing, compute, data and network APIs become part of the same fabric, then the network starts becoming an enabling platform for new services rather than just a connectivity pipe.

Security and resilience were also prominent themes. Carmen Mas-Machuca from the University of the Bundeswehr Munich focused on planning and operating secure and resilient networks. This is timely because future networks will become critical national infrastructure to an even greater extent than today’s 4G and 5G networks. As networks become more software-based, more open, more automated and more AI-enabled, the attack surface also changes. Security can no longer be added afterwards. It has to be part of the architecture, planning, operation and evolution of the network.

Marco Ruffini from Trinity College Dublin gave another interesting perspective, looking at AI-enabled optical networks for situational awareness and resilient infrastructure. This is one of those areas that shows how future networks may do much more than carry bits. Optical fibre infrastructure can also become a sensing platform, supporting applications such as infrastructure monitoring, environmental awareness and maritime security. This links nicely with the wider 6G interest in Integrated Sensing and Communication, although from an optical network perspective.

The panels also show the priorities very clearly. One panel focused on connected intelligence and what happens when 6G and AI meet. Another looked at architectural transformation towards 6G, including the standardisation landscape, enablers and challenges. The final panel focused on sustainability in the 6G business. This is an important point because sustainability is sometimes treated as a technical feature, but in reality it has business, regulatory, operational and societal dimensions.

Looking through the workshops and special sessions, the diversity of 6G research becomes obvious. There were sessions on non-terrestrial networks, Integrated Sensing and Communication, test and measurement for 6G, AI-native networks, microelectronics and photonics, security, network digital twins, resilience, sustainability, neuromorphic computing, large-scale trials, terahertz communications, flying vehicles, quantum technologies, healthcare, spectrum management, unified terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks, and many more topics.

This breadth is important. 6G will not be delivered by one breakthrough technology. It will emerge from many parallel developments coming together: new radio techniques, AI/ML, cloud and edge computing, network softwarisation, automation, sensing, security, new device classes, new spectrum, new business models and more energy-aware operation. Some of these technologies will mature quickly, while others will take years of research, testing and standardisation.

One of the things I liked about the programme is the balance between vision and experimentation. There were many sessions looking at future architecture and long-term research, but there were also demos, posters, SMEs, trials, platforms and experimental insights. This matters because 6G cannot remain a collection of attractive slides. It needs testbeds, measurements, datasets, prototypes, pilots and operational learning.

The European dimension was also clear. The Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking continues to play a major role in shaping Europe’s 6G research landscape, with many projects now moving from concepts towards trials, platforms and standardisation input. The programme also highlighted international collaboration, which is essential because 6G will eventually need global alignment through bodies such as 3GPP, ITU, ETSI and others.

For those of us tracking 6G from the outside, events like EuCNC & 6G Summit are useful because they show where the research community is putting its effort. This year, AI/ML was everywhere, but it was not the only story. Sustainability, security, resilience, sensing, NTN, cloud-edge convergence, digital twins, openness, experimentation and standardisation all featured strongly.

My takeaway from EuCNC & 6G Summit 2026 is that the 6G conversation is becoming more grounded. There is still plenty of vision, but the focus is increasingly shifting towards architecture, validation, implementation, deployment challenges and business relevance. That is exactly what is needed at this stage. 6G has to be ambitious, but it also has to learn from 5G: new technology alone is not enough unless it solves real problems, creates useful services, reduces operational complexity and delivers value.

Some of the publicly shared talks, keynotes and panel discussions from EuCNC & 6G Summit 2026 are available in the YouTube playlist embedded below. It is well worth watching for anyone interested in how Europe and the wider global research community are preparing for the next phase of mobile and wireless networks.

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