2026 Insight: EMEA trends in AI, carriers, and compliance

In 2026, enterprise communications leaders across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) are under significant pressure to modernize and secure their communications infrastructure while scaling operations. A survey conducted by Cavell and Bandwidth revealed that AI adoption and cloud migration are top priorities for enterprises, closely followed by security concerns, reflecting the complex interplay between technological advancement and increased security threats. Security, fraud prevention, and regulatory compliance are treated as interconnected challenges, with many enterprises reporting issues such as legitimate calls being misidentified as spam, leading to revenue loss. The EMEA region's telecom landscape remains predominantly multi-carrier, driven by the need for geographic coverage and regulatory compliance. The Bring Your Own Carrier (BYOC) model has gained traction, offering flexibility and cost control, while Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are crucial for managing complex multi-vendor environments. Contact centers in the region are predominantly hybrid, with AI adoption progressing in a layered manner to enhance efficiency without disrupting existing systems. The overarching theme is a strategic focus on modernization that balances innovation with the need for reliability and regulatory adherence, reflecting the diverse and fragmented regulatory environment in EMEA compared to North America.