Beyond walls and moats: digital sovereignty
Based on proceedings at Telecom TV’s Digital Sovereignty summit in December 2025, “Beyond Moats and Walls” explores how geopolitical tensions, regulatory shifts, and technological innovation are shaping the sovereignty landscape for telecom operators and enterprises.
The report highlights the challenges of defining sovereignty, the role of telecom in enabling it, and the growing importance of sovereign AI, cloud strategies, and supply chain security. Key insights include the tension between openness and sovereignty, the risk of fragmentation, and the need for pragmatic, risk-based approaches to regulation.
With contributions from industry leaders at Red Hat, SUSE, Telefonica, Dell, and others, the report provides perspectives on how telcos can seize opportunities at the edge, secure data flows, and navigate complex sovereignty requirements without stifling innovation.
As digital sovereignty becomes a defining theme for 2026, this report is provides a snapshot of industry thinking for CSPs, vendors, and policymakers seeking to understand the business implications and strategic choices ahead.
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Executive Summary
What is Sovereignty?
- Definitions and challenges
- Perspectives from industry leaders
- UK Telecommunications (Security) Act implications
Sovereignty vs Business Operations
- Impact on multinational organizations
- Risks of fragmentation
- Balancing control and complexity
Supply Chain Sovereignty
- Importance of securing the supply chain
- Geopolitical and manufacturing challenges
- Software supply chain issues
- Role of CI/CD and operational control
Making Sovereignty Pay
- Financial implications for telcos
- Risk-based approaches
- Fragmentation and scalability concerns
Veon: A Different Perspective
- Sovereignty as trust and resilience
- Regional differences (Ukraine, Pakistan, Kazakhstan)
- Data ownership and monetization
Why Telco?
- Telco’s role in enabling sovereignty
- Opportunities at the edge
- Connectivity and data flow control
What is Sovereign AI?
- Challenges in delivering sovereign AI
- CSP opportunities in infrastructure
- AI continuum (Far Edge, Edge, Central)
Balancing Sovereignty and Openness
- Avoiding “moats and walls”
- Pragmatic approaches to resilience and innovation
AI Sovereignty
- Open interfaces and data control
- Investment trends and partnerships
- Telco’s role in AI services
Sovereignty Black Swans
- Worst-case scenarios and risks
Conclusion
