As the digital landscape evolves, the intersection of artificial intelligence, open architectures, and diverse spectrum strategies is redefining the future of global connectivity. Building on insights from the recent Broadband Nation Expo, the industry is moving toward a more decentralized, intelligent, and flexible infrastructure. For service providers and enterprises alike, 2026 is poised to be a landmark year where wireless technology moves beyond simple access to become the primary engine of industrial and rural innovation. At 1Finity, here are some of the trends we’re tracking.
AI and Machine Learning: The Foundation of Rural Connectivity
The relationship between AI and connectivity is becoming increasingly symbiotic. While AI is often discussed in the context of high-end data centers, its impact during 2026 will reach the furthest corners of the rural landscape. For AI to function effectively—especially in mission-critical industrial or agricultural applications—reliable data acquisition is essential. This requires a robust connection that can handle the “data boom” generated by machine-learning applications.
One of the most significant shifts is the maturation of private wireless solutions. Technologies such as Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) are now central to rural deployments. By pairing CBRS with priority access licenses (PALs), service providers can offer fixed wireless access (FWA) that rivals traditional wired connections in reliability. This reliability has reached a tipping point; CBRS PAL licenses are now recognized as a standard sufficient to qualify for government funding through programs like the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. Fueled by federal support and the need for AI-ready networks, 2026 could be a year of robust growth for rural ISPs. The following are some of the drivers we’re watching at 1Finity.
The Rise of Hyper-Local ISP Spectrum Partnerships
While Tier 1 mobile network operators (MNOs) continue to dominate the national conversation, 2026 will mark the rise of the empowered local ISP. These providers are leveraging a deep understanding of their specific markets to identify unique customer challenges that national carriers often overlook.
A burgeoning trend is the collaboration between Tier 1 MNOs and local ISPs. National operators are increasingly offering licensed spectrum for FWA as white box solutions, enabling local ISPs to rebrand and utilize high-quality licensed spectrum to serve their communities under a local banner. By combining the infrastructure power of a national carrier with the customer service and market agility of a local provider, the industry is creating a more resilient and responsive broadband ecosystem.
Open RAN Innovation: Decoupled and Software-Defined
The shift toward open radio access networks (Open RAN) is accelerating, providing operators with the freedom to move away from vendor lock-in. While the ability to “mix and match” best-of-breed solutions will still require some integration effort in 2026, rural carriers should be able to take advantage of pre-integrated, pre-tested solutions featuring limited combinations of equipment and vendors. This flexibility will increasingly allow ISPs to deploy high-performance outdoor radios from one vendor while utilizing specialized indoor hardware from another, ensuring the best possible solution for different environments.
Furthermore, Open RAN is revolutionizing the lifecycle of network maintenance. Traditionally, upgrading a network required the costly and dangerous task of climbing towers to swap physical radios. With Open RAN, many significant upgrades are now software-defined. Software changes to the baseband can unlock new features and improve spectral efficiency instantly, allowing providers to introduce innovations to their customers the moment they become available.
Virtualization and the Advent of AI-RAN
Looking deeper into the technical horizon of 2026, two concepts are emerging as the next frontiers: virtualized RAN (vRAN) and AI-RAN.
vRAN is decoupling baseband software from proprietary hardware, allowing it to run on diverse, standardized platforms. This separation accelerates innovation cycles, as software can be updated independently of the hardware it sits on.
The emergence of AI RAN, meanwhile, is shaping up to be equally transformative. While AI operations focus on using AI to automate network management and save power, AI RAN involves running both RAN and AI workloads on the same shared hardware. This allows operators to monetize excess AI compute power when the network isn’t at peak capacity. The results may include new revenue opportunities and improved network performance via coordinated beamforming, better channel error estimation and other techniques.
1Finity: Navigate the Future with Clarity
As these complex technologies converge, having a dedicated partner becomes essential for navigating the evolving broadband landscape. 1Finity stands at the forefront of this transformation, serving as a premier enabling technology partner for MNOs, service providers, and local utilities looking to seize the opportunities of 2026. By bridging the gap between advanced wireless architectures and practical local deployments, 1Finity empowers our partners to integrate AI-driven operations and Open RAN flexibility into their core offerings. Whether it is optimizing spectral efficiency or scaling rural reach, 1Finity provides the expertise and technological foundation necessary to turn these high-level trends into reliable, high-performance connectivity for communities everywhere.
Schedule a meeting with your 1Finity representative and discover how we can help you gain perspective and clarity, and plan for what’s next.
