Global Telecom Capex Rises 5% in H1 2026 as Operators Shift Spending to Capacity, AI and Network Modernization

Global telecom capital expenditure increased about 5 percent year over year in the first half of 2026, signaling an improvement in network investment after several years of declining spending, according to Dell’Oro Group. Deutsche Telekom Open RAN The recovery, however, does not indicate the beginning of another massive network construction cycle similar to the initial 5G rollout. Telecom operators have already established stronger network capacity through years of investment in 5G and fiber, an