During MWC Shanghai 2026, the AI-ON Summit, themed “Networks for AI, AI for Networks,” was successfully held, uniting China’s MIIT, CAICT, global operators, industry partners, and Huawei. They explored optical network trends in Token monetization and shared experiences in new services like ultra-gigabit/10 Gbps packages and network-computing integration. Huawei introduced 10 AI-Optical Network (AI-ON) products and solutions to help operators create AI-centric all-optical networks and promote AI service adoption.
According to China’s 15th Five-Year Plan outline, constructing six major networks, including the next-generation communications network and computing network, has been incorporated into national top-level deployment. In her opening speech, Han Xia, Executive Deputy Director of the Information and Communications Technology Committee of China’s MIIT, noted, “Low-latency, high-capacity, reliable, and intelligent optical networks are not only a core part of next-generation communication networks, but also the foundation of new digital infrastructure. Accelerating the evolution of optical networks from basic ‘transmission pipelines’ to ‘network-intelligence convergence’ is vital for shaping China’s future optical network development.”
In October 2025, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) introduced the ION-2030 vision for future optical networks, guiding the development of AI-ON.
Ao Li, Vice President of CAICT, explained, “Optical networks and AI will empower each other. The AI-ON will efficiently support widespread computing applications, while leveraging large models and AI agents to advance toward high-level autonomous networks. China is upgrading from ‘gigabit everywhere’ to ’10G ramp-up,’ driving ultra-gigabit broadband services and exploring new paths for broadband quality enhancement. Millisecond-level computing is moving from ‘system construction’ to ‘large-scale deployment,’ building a solid all-optical foundation for the digital economy.”
Operators Are Entering a New Era of Value Operations
AI is enhancing digital life for households and boosting productivity for enterprises. China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, Zain Jordan, and Shunwang Technology shared their practices in embracing AI. By improving bandwidth speeds, they empower home broadband through better connectivity, intelligent services, and proactive support. These innovations provide premium broadband and efficient computing access for enterprises. Operators are entering a new era of value operations by maximizing their installed base and expanding value-added services for sustainable growth.
AI-ON Empowers Operators to Build AI-Centric All-Optical Target Networks, Driving Shared Growth in the AI Era
To assist operators in transitioning to Token monetization, Huawei has upgraded its 10 AI-ON products. Kim Jin, Vice President of Huawei Optical Business Product Line, noted, “Huawei is enhancing its optical-AI convergence strategy to foster the development of optical and AI technologies. The AI-FAN and AI-OTN series enable operators to create AI-centric all-optical networks, achieving ultra-gigabit/10 Gbps operations and promoting high-quality computing access and AI service adoption.”
For ultra-gigabit popularization, Huawei has launched AI-FTTR products including an AI home hub, AI smart box, and both tri-band and dual-band Wi-Fi 7 FTTR options. It introduced the first high-density 50G PON service board for commercial use, supporting tri-band Wi-Fi 7. Huawei’s solutions for 1 ms computing networks include Mini OXC, end-to-end OSU/fgOTN, and OTN & QKD integration. Additionally, they launched the ultra-large OTN cluster solution along with submarine-terrestrial cable solutions for national and international DCI.
MWC Shanghai 2026 took place from June 24 to June 26, showcasing Huawei’s latest innovations in Hall N1 of SNIEC. The ICT industry is shifting towards token monetization, with Huawei collaborating with global partners to enhance 5G-A experiences and AI-powered business upgrades.
For more information, please visit: https://carrier.huawei.com/minisite/mwcs2026/en/