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Communications will evolve beyond simple data transmission, transforming into the nervous system of the intelligent world with advanced information processing capabilities, according to the CEO of a prominent connectivity provider.
“We believe future AI systems will feature a cloud-based brain, with each device having its own cerebellum,” said the company’s founder and chairman after the Mobile World Conference Shanghai. He explained that communications act as the nervous system, connecting a few “brain” centers with numerous “cerebella,” facilitating the flow of intelligence between them.
This company, based in Shanghai, aggregates network resources from over 350 telecom operators across more than 200 countries and regions through software solutions, supporting Chinese smart hardware and manufacturing firms as they expand internationally.
Currently, AI mostly refers to large language models trained centrally in the cloud using vast datasets. However, this company’s expertise lies in terminal devices and gateways, highlighting that many Internet-of-Things (IoT) scenarios are fragmented, global, and distributed. As a result, promoting edge intelligence—processing data near where it is generated—is essential.
Edge intelligence involves collecting and analyzing data locally and delivering insights close to the source. For example, before smart cameras, footage had to be uploaded to the cloud for processing. Now, with intelligent cameras, defects on high-speed production lines are immediately detected and addressed without cloud transmission.
The goal of this company is not just to empower terminal devices to make independent decisions but also to create smarter connections between the “brain” and the “cerebellum.” “We’re integrating the intelligence of the brain with that of the cerebellum to develop comprehensive solutions,” they explained.
As AI agents transition from the cloud to individual devices, the telecommunications industry is redefining its role. Mobile networks are shifting from merely connecting people and devices to enabling the connection of intelligent systems. Experts compare the emerging sixth-generation network system to an evolving “intelligent life form,” with computing power at its core and the network functioning as its nerve fibers.
“This isn’t something we can accomplish alone,” the CEO emphasized. “Our role is more about bridging telecom operators and device applications.”
Their infrastructure, built over more than ten years, supports this vision. The company was established in 2013 and began integrating satellite connectivity into its cellular network by 2025. Recently, it has strengthened collaborations with satellite providers.
Revenue streams primarily come from device manufacturers who embed their connectivity services via a platform-as-a-service model, IoT companies managing devices globally through their SaaS platform, and hardware producers of portable Wi-Fi devices and industrial gateways.
Their clients operate across various sectors including cross-border travel, mobile broadband, robotics, connected vehicles, and smart manufacturing—covering both consumer electronics and industrial equipment like energy storage and solar systems. They noted that the company’s international business expands in tandem with the growth of China’s smart manufacturing sector.
For example, in international travel, the company connects online travel agencies and airlines, selling eSIM data plans directly to travelers. More recently, it has introduced eSIM vending machines in several foreign markets, marking a move from a B2B model toward a B2C approach.
China has now become the company’s largest market, overtaking Japan with the number of clients in Hong Kong exceeding those in Japan. Client numbers and orders from countries along the Belt and Road initiative are also on the rise.
Currently, the company connects over 10 million IoT endpoints, with annual growth rates exceeding 38 percent. Industry forecasts suggest global eSIM IoT connections will jump from 22 million in 2023 to nearly 200 million in 2024.
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