Tech
The networks that will turn potential into profit in 2026 | Computer Weekly
Of all the technology topics covered by industry analysts, financiers and pundits over the course of 2025, perhaps the most interesting was that of the so-called artificial intelligence (AI) bubble. Very much a dog that didn’t bark over the past 12 months – just go ask Nvidia – those supposedly in the know ended the year more or less hedging their bets, predicting that something still “may likely” happen in the general IT space in 2026.
Yet in networking and telecoms, it can be said with some certainty that, in 2026, AI will be as indispensable as it has been for the recent past. And if 2025 was the year in which the potential of AI in networking was realised, 2026 will be a year in which networks will need to be constructed to turn this potential into profit.
As businesses and connectivity providers alike know only too well, soaring AI capacity means network infrastructure is constantly having to adapt to a multitude of external pressures and unprecedented strains.
In December 2025, IT and networking giant Cisco noted that with 22.4 billion internet of things (IoT) devices generating more than 90 zettabytes of data a year, the next 12 months will see organisations tap into the vast well of telemetry, machine, IoT and industrial IoT (IIoT) data. AI is absolutely fundamental in analysing and combining these sources of business intelligence.
Growth brings challenges
As a result, AI has fuelled an unprecedented surge in network demand, with the emergence and widespread adoption of agentic AI-enabled applications further reshaping infrastructure requirements, prompting a rapid evolution in networking solutions. Keeping pace with the next wave of AI growth will require new long-haul networks to enable the rapid scaling of capacity needs in both existing and emerging enterprise setups.
This next generation of networks will have to keep pace with AI, offering extended and greater overall network capacity and capability. Assessing in April 2025 how to solve these issues, leading research firm Omdia observed in a study, The all-photonics network enables the next-gen digital economy, that to drive the continued growth of the global AI economy, networks will need to evolve significantly to deliver enhanced capabilities.
The analyst said new, advanced optical networks were necessary to meet advanced application and service requirements, and address surging capacity needs within tight capital expenditure targets. This message will ring ever truer in 2026.
As well as supporting business agility to match bandwidth supply to service utilisation, the new advanced networks that will be deployed will need to offer the opportunity to have infrastructure with lower power consumption per bit to meet sustainability goals and reduce energy costs. And to display clearly the crushing need to address the challenge, the Omdia research calculated that when measured in gigawatts, total global datacentre capacity – what the analyst called the key enabling infrastructure for AI capabilities – is set to grow by 57% from 2024 to 2027.
Next-generation optical networks will almost certainly begin to emerge during 2026, build upon advances in core optics technology to offer improved system reach capabilities, cost optimisation, enhanced optical switching and improvements in multilayer and supplier management supported by the standards community. For enterprises in particular, such infrastructure will offer benefits such as greater security, agility and return on investment for their AI and cloud adoption.
But there could be some headwinds approaching businesses. Looking ahead to the new year, networking giant Cisco noted in December 2025 that the networking industry stood at an inflection point, with an emerging trend of AI infrastructure debt. That is to say, in the race to deploy AI, firms were deploying systems on top of ageing infrastructures that were never built for the demands of the current work environment.
Analysts and tech firms alike believe that 2026 will be defined by firms that modernise their fundamental network infrastructure, building what Cisco called “a resilient, AI-ready backbone to power a safer, faster, transformative future”.
The company also predicted that manufacturing, energy and logistics teams will increasingly use IIoT data to cut downtime and improve efficiency, marking the second phase of AI’s evolution. This shift, it said, would be powered by advances in specialised AI chips, TinyML, for ultra-efficient on-device inference, while federated learning trains models across distributed edge devices without centralising sensitive data. Cisco stressed that embedding security into the infrastructure would be essential to protect these workloads as they scale.
Another area of networking to keep an eye on will be quantum. 2025 saw a number of advances in the area, both in the software and hardware domains and it’s not unreasonable to expect a lot more of both this coming year. In the hardware space, recent work has revealed chips that enable quantum communication over existing fibre without specialised infrastructure. 2026 will also see more research into networks tapping into the behaviour of quantum particles, with commercialisation around 2030.
Advancing 5G networks
As regards the telecoms arena, for the UK at least, the key theme will be advancing the roll-out of 5G networks around the country, allowing businesses to tap into infrastructures that support more complex and richer business applications.
We’ll see operators increasingly switching off 3G networks and using their allocated frequency spectrum for 5G. There is a straightforward logic to this: 3G networks were simply not built to address the demands of the modern comms industry. They were constructed to support basic web browsing, not the high-bandwidth applications that modern businesses are based on, such as video collaboration.
2026 will see a UK mobile market where all of the major operators have switched off their 3G networks and will be offering enhanced mobile coverage across the country. Better mobile means better business. What will also be seen is an increased amount of coverage upgrades, not just in major towns and cities through more masts, but also along major roads and motorways and in coastal areas. Small cells will be installed in the busiest city centres and tourist destinations, and significant 4G and 5G network upgrades will be made at major sporting venues such as the Allianz Stadium and Wembley.
In the US and Asia, 5G Advanced networks will continue their roll-out, with firms really taking advantage of the technological benefits of the new infrastructure. Critically, 5G Advanced is the first mobile infrastructure to be purpose-built for AI. The gains will be readily apparent.
Looking further out, or, to be more accurate, upwards, 2026 will almost certainly see the continuation of the satellite communications industry. A key driver in the development of the market will be the significant increase in the number of handsets about to connect to satellite services.
In 2025, non-terrestrial networks (NTN) and satellite connectivity moved very markedly from niche to mainstream, whether in rural broadband or direct-to-cell use cases. By the end of the year, there were nearly 200 publicly announced operator-satellite partnerships in almost 100 countries and territories, and of these, 34 operators have launched commercial services. This momentum will persist into 2026.
Of those leading the industry, Starlink gained the highest orbit, sealing 44 partnerships, followed by AST SpaceMobile and Lynk. The growth of the satellite IoT market will further solidify satellite’s role in the global connectivity landscape. New constellations providing wide IoT connectivity will be a key part of the satellite communications industry.
Overall, in the networking world, 2026 will be the year when the essence will move from what is possible to what can be unlocked. A year when business plans can become business realities and when coverage and capability go hand in hand. Networks of all forms will be constructed to turn potential into profit and take enterprises into new worlds.
Long before we had Amazon or Facebook marketplace, or thousands of other online retailers, we had eBay. And now, we have an eBay coupon to help you save on basics like vacuums and phones, to even your most niche need—because eBay has everything from haunted objects to ironic landline phones to retro gaming consoles. One of the first and most enduring online shopping platforms, eBay has stood the test of time, providing us with the old-school feel of estate sales, complete with bidding wars and gently used items of quite literally every type.
Save up to 60% on Your Next Purchase at eBay
eBay has rotating deals, like 20% off up-and-coming brands, so be sure to check their page often to know which deals are next. They have huge savings on essentials, like Dyson vacuums—an enduring titan in the home cleaning realm. There’s also discounts on like-new refurbished Apple MacBooks and iPads so you can work or study for so much less. It’s not only office tech they have deals on, but even kitchen essentials, like the forever-popular KitchenAid Stand Mixer. eBay has deals on everything from clothing and jewelry to power tools, so check eBay’s deals page often.
How to Use an eBay Coupon (If you Have one Handy)
Once you’ve perused the nearly endless options of items on eBay, here’s how you can redeem the eBay discount code or offer at checkout: first, make sure your code isn’t expired (I know it sounds like a no-brainer, but you don’t want to be disappointed when that dreaded ‘invalid’ pop-up comes on the screen). Enter the code in the ‘Add coupons’ section, or check the box if the coupon is displayed. When you select ‘apply,’ you should see the discounted total, and then you’ll be prompted to pay.
Save More With Free Shipping
Once you find the special item of your dreams, go to the “shipping and pickup” search filter and check the “free shipping” box to get free shipping. Make sure you choose eBay free shipping on a multitude of items like motor parts, books, golf clubs, Pokemon cards, haunted objects, tech, and virtually anything else you can imagine.
Shop These Rotating eBay Deals
eBay has rotating deals, like 20% off up-and-coming brands, so be sure to check their page often to know which deals are next. They also have spotlighted, trending, and featured deals for huge savings on a myriad of products like auto parts, golf clubs, shoes, and more. eBay has a money-back guarantee to ensure you get the item you ordered or you get your money back.
Shop With eBay Mastercard to Get More Rewards
Have you heard of an eBay Mastercard? I hadn’t either, but if you’re a collector or frequent eBay shopper, an eBay Mastercard is a smart way to save on purchases you were already planning to make. You’ll earn five times the amount of points for the rest of the year after you spend $1,000 on eBay in a calendar year. Until then, you’ll earn three times the points per $1 spent, up to $1,000, on eBay in a calendar year. You can also earn twice as many points per $1 spent on gas, restaurant, and groceries, and 1 times as many points per $1 spent on all other Mastercard purchases.
Get Daily Deals With the eBay App
If you’re someone who shops or sells on eBay often, I’d suggest downloading the eBay app for even more perks. The eBay mobile app makes it easy to find the best rotating deals on various items and access to the hottest deals and discounts of the day before they leave. Through the app, you can browse everything from trendy items, to power tools, to tech gadgets, and then choose whatever price looks best. There’s also app-only discounts and special offers exclusively for eBay app users. Plus, eBay will help you figure out when’s the best time to buy, with price notifications to let you know when the price has dropped.
The MacBook Neo made quite a splash when it landed in March. $599 for a MacBook felt groundbreaking, and it was easy for casual onlookers to declare that Windows laptops had no true answer to it.
But what if I told you there was a Windows option that was better in almost every way? That’s the HP OmniBook 5, a laptop you’ve probably never heard of unless you watch the space closely. I’ve been recommending it ever since I tested it last month. The price has been fluctuating, but more often than not, the 14-inch model was selling for $500. You read that right: $500. Today, the cheapest, most consistent price you’ll find it for is $730 over at Walmart, but I’ve seen the HP frequently drop the price from $1,050 down to around $500.
And just take a look at what you get for the price, because it’s absolutely stacked. It comes with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage, double what you get on the $599 MacBook Neo. There’s a 16-inch version as well, if you like the idea of having a bit more screen real estate work with.
The HP OmniBook 5 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon X, a highly efficient chip that gets great, all-day battery life that’s at least on par with the MacBook Neo. If you haven’t used a Windows laptops in a few years and still think they can’t compete with MacBooks in battery life, you’re sorely mistaken.
The 16 GB of memory on the OmniBook 5 is particularly important to note, as it’s one of the big points of contention with the MacBook Neo. Being stuck at 8 GB in 2026 feels cruel on principle, and while testing it I was able to load up the MacBook Neo and easily find its breaking point. The 16 GB of memory on the HP OmniBook 5 is enough that you’ll never have to worry about how many tabs, applications, installations, or downloads you have going simultaneously. Combined with the better multicore performance of the Snapdragon X, it enables a kind of freedom that lets you forget about the hardware and focus on the task at hand. Don’t get me wrong—the MacBook Neo has its place, but calling it the undisputed king of budget laptops just isn’t right.
The HP OmniBook 5 Is Only $500
Now, I know what you’re thinking. Specs and performance don’t tell the whole story, and Apple has never been known for offering tons of specs for cheap. But the OmniBook 5 14 is also an attractive design in a highly portable package. At 0.5 inches, it’s exactly the same thickness as the MacBook Neo and right around the same weight too. Does the MacBook Neo have a bit more style and personality? Absolutely—especially if you fancy one of the bolder color options. But I’d say the OmniBook 5 is a very pretty laptop in its own right. It’s also made of aluminum, sturdy and well-built in your hands. The hinge is balanced nicely, allowing you to open the lid with one finger. It doesn’t feel cheap.
After years of suffering in silence with her trauma, Vega eventually called out her accuser in one of the most public forums in existence: Facebook. Within just a few days, she was contacted by eight other women, most of them also American college students studying abroad, with eerily similar stories of their own encounters with Vela, who was known to many as “Manu.” This three-part docuseries traces how Vega found the courage to stand up to her attacker and how the far-reaching power of using one’s voice on social media can be used for more than just sharing memes and family photos. Ultimately, Vega’s efforts led authorities to determine that Manu had assaulted between 50 and 100 young women.
Star Wars: Maul—Shadow Lord
From The Mandalorian to Skeleton Crew, Disney+ has produced a dozen Star Wars TV shows since its streaming debut, and fans are always clamoring for more. This month, that means the premiere of Star Wars: Maul—Shadow Lord, a gritty, animated series for adults that is set after the events of the universe’s famous Clone Wars and told from the perspective of Maul, one of the space opera’s most notorious supervillains. But it unravels more like a crime-drama, as it follows Maul’s rogue attempts to use his Sith skills to rebuild his Shadow Collective, a massive crime syndicate composed of Sith leaders, Mandalorian warriors, bounty hunters, and more, all united by the goal of usurping Darth Sidious and destroying his Sith Order. IYKYK.
The Testaments
The Handmaid’s Tale marked a watershed moment for Hulu when, in 2017, it became the first streaming series to nab the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series—solidifying the streamer’s reputation as a bona fide player. As that groundbreaking series signed off in 2025 after six seasons, it’s hardly surprising that Hulu would want to keep Margaret Atwood’s dystopian world alive, so now we have The Testaments. Set 15 years after the events of the original series, much of the series takes place at an elite prep school for young women learning to be the dutiful wives of the next wave of Commanders. Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) returns to terrify a new generation of young women, including Agnes (One Battle After Another’s breakout star Chase Infiniti), a pious young woman who is beginning to question the rules she has grown up obeying, and Daisy (Lucy Halliday), a Canadian teen and recent Gilead convert—all of whom have secrets they’re keeping.
Kara Swisher Wants to Live Forever
“There’s so much bad information that the good information gets drowned.” That’s the central thesis behind famed tech journalist Kara Swisher’s decision to dive headfirst into the science (and scams) of longevity—a multibillion-dollar industry that shows no signs of slowing—in this six-episode docuseries. Armed with her investigative skills and famously dry wit, Swisher talks to the brains behind brands promising wellness acolytes longer lives with everything from gene editing and AI-driven medical care to bleeding-edge anti-aging treatments. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, outspoken “biohacker” Bryan Johnson, nepo baby venture capitalist Reed Jobs, and Nobel Prize–winning biochemist Jennifer Doudna are among those who help Swisher separate fact from fiction in the quest to live forever.
Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Margo Millet (Elle Fanning) is a clever, ambitious young woman with her whole life in front of her—until an affair with her English professor leaves her pregnant and suddenly thrust into adulthood. With mounting bills and limited options to gain real income, Margo ultimately turns to OnlyFans, where she quickly gains a large and lucrative following—and the judgment that comes along with that. Based on Rufi Thorpe’s bestselling 2024 novel, this dark dramedy cleverly uses its setup to challenge the many still-existing stigmas surrounding sex work and even single motherhood. While Fanning is the undoubted star, she is ably supported by an A-list team of costars, including Michelle Pfeiffer as her mom and former Hooters waitress Shyanne, and Nick Offerman as her dad Jinx, a former pro wrestler.
This Is a Gardening Show
First he was Between Two Ferns, now he’s got his own DIY gardening series. Emmy-winning actor-comedian Zach Galifianakis brings his absurdist comedy to this hilarious docuseries, which is (mostly) as earnest as it is funny. Each episode introduces viewers to a new group of gardeners. While it’s largely aimed at laughs, there’s also a real exploration of the many reasons why people choose to garden, which often leads to very real and important questions about mental health, sustainability, the disconnection many people feel in the modern world, the many flaws in our current “perverse” (Galifianakis’ word) food production system, and what that might mean for future generations. Appropriately, the series debuts on Earth Day (April 22).
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85
Much like Hulu wasn’t about to say goodbye entirely to The Handmaid’s Tale, just because Stranger Things said goodbye on New Year’s Eve doesn’t mean the gang from Hawkins, Indiana, is totally parting ways with Netflix. In this animated spinoff, the kids—Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max—are going back in time slightly, to 1985, where the friends are desperately trying to reacquaint themselves with “normal” life after their terrifying dealings with the Upside Down. But they soon realize that something is still amiss in Hawkins, and they quickly find themselves embroiled in yet another paranormal adventure. Much like the nostalgia-fueled live-action series, the animated show is meant to be reminiscent of the Saturday morning cartoons that were a staple of every ’80s kid’s pop culture diet. Notably, the show is also being heavily promoted as a more family-friendly entry in the series—meaning monsters for all. All 10 episodes will drop on April 23.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is officially dead—at least for now. In mid-March, Sarah Michelle Gellar announced via Instagram that Hulu had put a stake through the heart of the long-awaited Buffy reboot, which would see the ’90s icon reprise her role as the vampire world’s biggest headache. But just because there presumably won’t be new episodes to enjoy doesn’t mean you can’t revisit the beloved original series.
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