2025–26 Thought Leaders: Tim Karamitos

What opportunities do you predict for the growth of your industry in 2026?

Some of the connectivity challenges that our emergency services customers are telling us they face include inconsistent connectivity, deficient analytics, substandard security, cost control and demanding environments. We envisage growth in the following areas:

• 5G WAN connectivity across fleets of emergency services vehicles and the IoT devices within those vehicles. Emergency services are really starting to see the benefits of a cloud-delivered, central network management platform, because this remote management capability eliminates travel to vehicles in the field and prevents cellular data plan overages — saving on IT costs.
• Demand for network slicing is growing, because without it, a dedicated physical network is needed to support emergency service communications. It provides end-to-end segregation and prioritisation of mission-critical traffic as well as simplified deployment of new services with end-to-end orchestration.
• Emergency services need networks on the move. We already see strong demand for 5G nomadic solutions, where emergency services have an all-in-one enclosure that can travel with them wherever they go, providing 5G and LEO satellite connectivity on the move. We see demand for these continue to grow in 2026 as hybrid connectivity on the move becomes more utilised.

Following Cyclone Alfred and various flooding events, what can comms companies do to provide more resilient communications solutions during natural disasters?

Resilience during natural disasters can be significantly enhanced by leveraging multi-SIM and hybrid connectivity strategies.

Multi-SIM capabilities allow devices to connect to multiple mobile networks simultaneously or switch between them automatically when one network is degraded or unavailable. In disaster scenarios where one operator’s infrastructure may be compromised, this ensures an alternative network can still maintain connectivity.

Hybrid connectivity integrates cellular (4G/5G) with other technologies such as satellite links, private wireless networks and Wi-Fi. This creates multiple layers of redundancy, so even if terrestrial infrastructure is damaged, satellite or local mesh networks can step in to keep communications running.

There have been longstanding calls for a rapidly deployable public cellular network for the general public to connect to in disaster situations, which the industry is working towards.

Are there any new or growing sectors that will be particularly reliant on critical communications in 2026 and beyond?

We’ve seen a lot of demand from utilities this year. The sector experiences similar connectivity challenges to those faced by emergency services and has the same requirement for always-on connectivity. In addition, some of the other more industry-specific needs utilities might have, where reliable connectivity is imperative, include:

• Security monitoring: Ensuring persistent oversight and security is just as critical for physical facilities as it is for the network. With surveillance cameras and sensors providing on-demand feeds — available in real time through LTE- and 5G-enabled wireless edge routers — utilities teams can quickly conduct video, thermal and LiDAR-based inspections across widely distributed sites.
• Edge computing: Utilities can get closer to real-time visibility of systems and infrastructure by shifting key components of application workload and computing to the network’s edge. Wireless edge routers connecting SCADA system sensors, RTUs (remote terminal units) and controllers can be monitored and managed centrally, but also process analytics, run applications and more in the field.
• Predictive maintenance: With utility systems going digital and wirelessly connected sensors and smart meters streaming real-time data, information about leakage, diversion, downed wires, faults and grid imbalances can be collected and analysed quickly and automatically. Machine learning and AI subsequently enable predictive maintenance to decrease outages and identify where investment is needed.

What are the biggest challenges or threats facing your industry in 2026?

Cybersecurity is an ever-present and evolving threat that all industries must face. Ericsson mitigates cybersecurity risks by taking a multi-layered approach to network security and by embedding protections throughout the telecom ecosystem. Some of the ways we do that include:

• Security by design — building security features directly into our hardware, software and services from initial design stages rather than adding them later.
• AI-driven threat detection — implementing advanced analytics and AI-powered systems to monitor network traffic in real time and detect anomalies indicative of intrusions or attacks.
• Zero trust architecture — ensuring that all connections, internal and external, are verified, and limiting access privileges strictly based on necessity.
• Telco carrier alignment — being in lockstep with telecommunications carriers’ security standards means that configuration changes on a SIM, device or network can be carried through from end to end.
   

With a strong technical background and a focus on driving business innovation for Ericsson’s customers, Tim Karamitos offers organisations years of experience and analytical thinking. He has worked with many customers on their digital transformation journeys, including Australian universities and emergency services organisations.