At MWC Barcelona 2026, the Dutch Pavilion marked a special milestone: ten years of collaboration, innovation, and global impact. During one of the NL Talks sessions, Anke Kuipers, moderator and Director of Ecosystem Services, sat down with Boudewijn van de Moesdijk, Technical Sales & Product Management Consultant at BroadForward, a company that has been part of this journey from the very beginning.
What unfolded was not just a technical conversation, but a story about enabling progress in a rapidly evolving digital world.
The Promise and Challenge of 5G Standalone
The telecom industry stands at a turning point. While 5G standalone (SA) promises transformative capabilities, ultra-low latency, massive IoT connectivity, and new business models, its adoption has been slower than expected.
Why? Because moving to 5G SA is not just an upgrade. It’s a complete reinvention.
Operators must invest in entirely new infrastructure, embrace cloud-native technologies, and develop specialized skills that didn’t exist in previous generations. For many, this creates a daunting “all-or-nothing” leap.
As Boudewijn explained, the difference is fundamental:
- Non-standalone 5G builds on existing 4G infrastructure
- Standalone 5G introduces a fully new core network—cloud-based and architecturally different
This shift requires not only new systems, but a new mindset.
From Barriers to Breakthroughs
BroadForward is tackling this challenge head-on, not by forcing change, but by making it manageable.
Their approach is simple yet powerful: give operators the freedom to evolve at their own pace.
Instead of requiring immediate migration to complex cloud-native environments, BroadForward provides solutions that work across:
- Traditional hardware (bare metal)
- Virtual machines
- Modern cloud-based infrastructures
This hybrid approach allows operators to:
- Leverage existing knowledge and systems
- Gradually build expertise in new technologies
- Deploy 5G services without waiting for full transformation
In Boudewijn’s words, it removes the classic “chicken-and-egg” problem, operators don’t need full cloud expertise before they can start innovating.
The Invisible Glue of Global Connectivity
Behind every seamless mobile experience lies a complex web of connections, especially when users cross borders.
This is where BroadForward plays a critical role.
Their technology acts as the “glue” between networks worldwide, enabling:
- 5G roaming across countries
- Communication between different operators
- Efficient global connectivity through IPX hubs
Rather than building countless one-to-one connections, operators can connect through centralized hubs, unlocking instant access to networks around the world.
With over 120 deployments globally and a growing footprint in 5G, BroadForward is already helping shape this interconnected ecosystem.
A Global Momentum, With European Roots
While interest in 5G standalone is growing worldwide, the strongest momentum is currently seen in:
- Europe
- North America
- Asia
At the same time, new opportunities are emerging in markets like Japan, challenging yet promising territories where innovation meets high expectations.
And at the heart of it all is a powerful message:
world-class telecom innovation can come from the Netherlands and scale globally.
Future-Proof by Design: From 2G to 6G
One of BroadForward’s greatest strengths lies in its continuity.
Their platform has already enabled interoperability across:
- 2G
- 3G
- 4G
- 5G
And now, they are preparing for the next frontier: 6G.
By building systems that ensure backward compatibility and seamless interworking between generations, BroadForward ensures operators are never locked into a single moment in time but are always ready for what comes next.
Freedom to Move Forward
As the conversation wrapped up, one theme stood out above all:
Freedom.
Freedom for operators to choose their path.
Freedom to innovate without disruption.
Freedom to move forward at their own pace.
It’s a philosophy that not only accelerates adoption but builds confidence in an industry navigating constant change.
A Decade of Collaboration, And What Comes Next
As the Netherlands Pavilion celebrates its 10th anniversary, stories like this highlight what makes the ecosystem so powerful: collaboration, pragmatism, and a shared ambition to lead globally.
For BroadForward, the journey is far from over. With new markets on the horizon and future technologies already in development, the company continues to do what it does best:
connecting networks, enabling innovation, and quietly powering the future of global communication.
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