Recap of Cavell Summit Europe 2026
Last month, London hosted the Cavell Summit Europe, a key event for service providers, telcos, managed service providers (MSPs), and other industry players. This gathering was an opportunity for everyone involved to discuss the current challenges and trends shaping the market as it heads into 2026 and beyond.
The goal of the summit was to equip leaders in the industry with practical strategies for achieving sustainable and profitable growth in an ever-changing environment. Some of the main concerns highlighted included the decreasing uniqueness of core services, pressures on average revenue per user (ARPU), and shrinking profit margins.
Attendees were provided insights on how to maintain and grow their revenue streams, the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in delivering real commercial benefits, and how compliance and sovereignty issues are influencing decision-making in service deployment throughout Europe.
Matt Townend, managing director of Cavell, kicked off the event with a keynote address focusing on the ongoing nature of disruption in the industry. He remarked, “Disruption is now the norm. We can no longer expect things to settle down after major shifts—it’s a constant reality we must adapt to.”
He pointed out that AI is a significant driver of this change, forcing companies to rethink their strategies and adapt quickly to new market dynamics. “Our industry faces the challenge of retaining existing customers while learning to differentiate ourselves and manage profit margins in this unstable landscape,” Townend noted.
Addressing Margin Pressures
Later in the morning, analysts Dom Black and Patrick Watson delved into how new technologies can translate into real revenue. They discussed the pressures on traditional revenue streams and examined which value-added services could enhance unified communications as a service (UCaaS) and cloud communication offerings. Opportunities in areas like call analytics, call recording, and contact center technologies were highlighted.
Watson also teamed up with Catie de Marcillac, a consultant at Cavell, to explore how generational changes are reshaping technology expectations within workplaces.
Discussing Sovereignty and Security
A panel discussion followed, featuring experts discussing the topics of sovereignty, deployment models, and security in a fragmented European market. Panelists included Anne Valerie Heuschen from Proximus, Akshay John from Dstny, and Mike Mills from Gamma, among others.
Bertrand Pourcelot, CEO of Enreach for Service Providers, shared insights from an end-user perspective on what sovereignty means in terms of self-determination and customer data protection. “End-users are focused on their data and where it’s stored. As a trusted partner, we have a responsibility towards them,” he observed.
In one of the afternoon’s key sessions, CEOs from prominent service providers, such as Tim Mois from Sipgate and Andrew Belshaw from Gamma, discussed growth and the impact of AI and cybersecurity, highlighting the need to meet the demands of increasingly informed buyers.
Another engaging session explored how businesses can successfully implement AI. Experts like Samantha Haylor from Daktela UK and Matthew Bryars from Subphonic emphasized that companies should shift from mere experimentation with AI to achieving measurable results. Providing a consultative approach in sales could help prevent failed AI projects and increase customer satisfaction.
Overall, the Cavell Summit Europe 2026 was a vital platform for industry leaders to share insights and strategies to navigate the shifting landscape of the communications market.
