The event’s second edition will feature eight summits covering AI, advanced networks, cybersecurity and smart mobility, alongside ministerial and digital policy discussions.
Exhibition space at MWC Doha 2026 has sold out ahead of the event’s opening on 8 November, the GSMA has announced, while registration remains open for general attendees.
Taking place from 8 to 10 November at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, the event will bring together telecommunications operators, technology companies, investors and policymakers. Its programme will focus on deploying AI at scale, generating revenue from 5G and developing the next generation of networks.
Held in partnership with Qatar’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, MWC Doha returns for its second edition alongside the International Telecommunication Union’s Plenipotentiary Conference, known as PP-26.
Technology companies and operators join the exhibition
Confirmed exhibitors include Cisco, Fortinet, Google Cloud, HPE, Microsoft, Ooredoo, Scale AI, Strategy&, Trend Micro, VEON, Vodafone Qatar and ZTE, alongside Carnegie Mellon University.
The conference programme will feature speakers from organisations including Accenture, Dell Technologies, Ericsson, Google, Huawei, ITU, Mastercard, Microsoft, Nokia Solutions and Networks, PwC Middle East and ServiceNow.
The sold-out announcement relates to exhibition space. It does not mean that attendee passes have sold out.
Eight summits examine networks, AI and connected industries
Eight dedicated summits will run across the three-day programme, addressing both the development of communications infrastructure and its application across industries.
The Future Networks Summit will examine standalone 5G, cloud-native networks and the decisions shaping the transition towards 6G. The Satellite & NTN Summit will cover satellite commercialisation, direct-to-device services, integration with terrestrial mobile networks, spectrum and revenue strategies. NTN refers to non-terrestrial networks, including satellite-based connectivity.
Cybersecurity will feature through the Security Summit, with discussions on telecommunications threats, security leadership priorities and threat-intelligence sharing.
The Smart Mobility Summit will examine autonomous vehicles, advanced air mobility, AI-powered transport and electrified mobility networks.
Four further summits will focus on different aspects of AI:
- Sovereign AI & National Digital Strategy: National capabilities across data, infrastructure, regulation and talent.
- Agentic AI: Deployment of AI agents across enterprise operations, networks and customer engagement, including governance and human oversight.
- AI in Action: Practical examples of AI deployment for productivity and automation.
- Open Telco AI: A technical showcase of AI designed for telecommunications applications.
Together, the sessions place commercial deployment alongside infrastructure development, with attention to how organisations implement and manage these technologies.
Industry and policy discussions share a venue
The GSMA Ministerial Programme will also return for a second year. It will convene ministers, regulators, city governments, intergovernmental organisations and senior mobile industry executives through closed-door meetings, guided exhibition tours and networking.
On the opening day, the Digital Leadership Forum will bring together senior government, industry and international organisation representatives to discuss policy, regulation and investment priorities for inclusive digital transformation. The forum is supported by MCIT, with ITU participation.
ITU’s PP-26 will run at the same venue from 9 to 27 November. The co-location places the two events alongside one another while retaining their distinct programmes and purposes. PP-26 is ITU’s highest policymaking conference.
As explored in Rasmal’s coverage of MWC Doha and the digital economy, the overlap provides a setting for discussions about technology deployment and the policies influencing investment and adoption.
Regional hackathon brings working prototypes to Doha
The programme will also showcase solutions developed through the MENA Ignite Hackathon, which the GSMA describes as its first Open Gateway hackathon for the Middle East and North Africa.
According to the organiser, the competition attracted more than 1,500 participants from Arab League countries and Türkiye. Across seven challenge themes, 63 teams developed working prototypes using AI agents to coordinate multiple CAMARA application programming interfaces, or APIs.
Ten teams presented to a judging panel, and three teams have been invited to showcase their solutions at MWC Doha. The GSMA says the winner will be announced on 9 November.
General attendee registration remains open
General attendee registration remains available despite exhibition space being fully booked. Attendees must register online before attending and complete any applicable entry requirements.
Rasmal is a media partner of MWC Doha 2026. This article is based on the GSMA’s announcement issued on 4 November.
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Last Updated on November 5, 2026 by Safiya K
