A 2036 Look Back at Entitlements in 2026
Key Takeaways
- 2026 is marking a tipping point as entitlements are becoming a real-time control plane for growth and security
- eSIM-only devices and new connected services are forcing operators to manage access and activation in real time
- Modern entitlements are directly driving revenue, enabling instant activation and premium service monetization
- Rising SIM-swap and social-engineering fraud is exposing the need for real-time device and access control
- Cloud-native Entitlements-as-a-Service is giving operators speed, scale, and operational leverage as execution becomes the constraint
While it is not obvious today, in 2036 we will look back and recognize 2026 as one of the industry’s inflection periods—not because of a single device launch or network upgrade, but because of a fundamental shift that is taking place in how operators think about control, access, and value.
2026 is emerging as the year AI, eSIM, and entitlements are reshaping how services are activated, secured, and monetized—and, ultimately, how digital experiences are delivered.
More specifically, this is the period when mobile operators are moving away from treating entitlements as a back-office function and are recognizing them for what they are becoming: the control plane for growth, experience, and protection in a fully digital world.
The Signals Were Already Clear
The signals did not arrive all at once. They accumulated.
In 2022, Apple removed the SIM tray from its U.S. iPhone lineup. In 2025, it expanded eSIM-only regions again. Soon after, it introduced a globally eSIM-only device, the iPhone Air. As 2026 began, expectations are growing that other major OEMs are preparing to follow the same path.
At the same time, the definition of a connected device is expanding rapidly. Smartwatches are shipping with native cellular. Tablets and laptops require seamless activation. Satellite connectivity, once a speculative concept, is moving into production, with emergency services already live and broader offerings approaching commercial scale.
Together, these shifts are pushing the industry away from network-centric thinking toward a device-centric reality. Access, identity, and entitlement decisions are moving closer to the user and the device, where they must be made instantly.
At the center of that transition sits a capability many operators have long underestimated: device entitlements.
From Authentication to Advantage
For years, entitlement servers have been treated as plumbing—necessary, but not strategic. Outside of major OEM partner ecosystems, many operators have underestimated the role entitlements play in shaping customer experience, monetization, and security.
That perception is changing.
As eSIM adoption is accelerating at triple-digit rates in several markets, entitlements are becoming unavoidable. More importantly, the gap between modern and legacy entitlement platforms is becoming visible—and increasingly costly.
Operators with agile entitlement platforms are launching new device capabilities faster, offering instant trials, enabling frictionless upgrades, and converting prospects with a single tap. Entitlements are becoming an engine for growth.
Others remain constrained by legacy systems. They are still relying on emailed QR codes. They are still requiring store visits. They are still waiting for vendors to deliver new use cases on multi-quarter timelines.
The lesson is already forming: modern entitlements are translating directly into market share. Every new device capability—eSIM, wearables, satellite access—is becoming a revenue opportunity waiting to be unlocked or lost.
The Monetization Moment no one should ignore
At the same time, operators are facing an uncomfortable reality: traditional connectivity revenues are stalling, just as new digital demands are multiplying. Mobile payments, digital identity, connected vehicles, premium device features, and on-demand upgrades all depend on one foundational requirement: precise, real-time control over who can access what, and when.
Satellite connectivity is the perfect example. As partnerships between mobile operators and satellite providers has expanded — covering a growing number of global connections — and entitlements are becoming the deciding factor between cost and profit.
With the right entitlement platform, satellite access can be offered dynamically: pay‑per‑use, premium tiers, emergency access, enterprise bundles, etc. Seamless for the user. Monetized for the operator.
The importance of security and moving fast
Growth without protection was no longer viable. In 2026, it is becoming a material business risk.
As operators expand into fintech and digital services, fraud is following. Social Engineering and SIM swap incidents are increasing sharply. In several markets, industry analyses are linking the majority of mobile banking fraud to compromised SIMs, costing billions annually.
In 2026, Entitlement platforms are becoming the first line of defence. By verifying devices, permissions, and access rights in real time, modern entitlement platforms are adding a powerful security layer—one that customers rarely notice but rely on constantly. The same control plane that enabled monetization also is becoming the foundation of trust.
Growth and protection are no longer separate conversations. They are converging.
What the bar will look like for entitlements
Looking back, success will not be attributed to intent alone. It will be attributed to operators that are demanding more from entitlements.
Not all platforms are proving equal. The ones succeeding are sharing common characteristics:
Moving at the Pace of Innovation
Operators are abandoning year-long upgrade cycles in favor of cloud-native Entitlements-as-a-Service platforms, where new device features are launching in weeks, not years.
Supporting Every Device, Everywhere
Phones, wearables, vehicles, and IoT devices are operating under a unified framework. Monetizing entitlements for MVNOs and non-OEM-exclusive partners is becoming standard.
Staying Evergreen by Design
Operators are no longer accepting delays or additional costs for new use cases. Evergreen platforms are updating continuously, quietly, and without downtime.
Monetizing and Protecting by Default
Entitlements are integrating tightly with policy control, charging, and fraud prevention. Growth and security are becoming two sides of the same operational decision.
From Requirements to Reality: Why Execution Matters
What is separating leaders from laggards is not ambition, but execution. The platforms succeeding are combining cloud-native design, real-time control, and continuous evolution.
This is where CSG’s Entitlements-as-a-Service, powered by NetLync, is emerging as a reference model for modern entitlements.
Cloud-native, evergreen, and proven at scale, CSG EaaS is enabling operators to move faster, unlock new revenue, and stay ahead of device, OEM, and ecosystem change.
CSG EaaS is delivering:
- Rapid time-to-value, with deployments measured in weeks
- Certification certainty across leading global OEMs
- Universal entitlements that extend advanced use cases beyond OEM-exclusive partners
- Continuous access to new capabilities via an always-on platform
- B2B2C monetization models that are turning entitlements into revenue engines
The Multiplier Effect: Why CSG + NetLync
Two realities are defining modern entitlements. First, they are no longer a back-office capability—they are becoming the control plane for growing and protecting digital revenue. Second, monetizing complexity at scale requires experience.
Together with NetLync, CSG is going beyond enablement. CSG is helping operators turn entitlements into sustainable businesses.
Backed by decades of real-world experience and an award-winning SaaS portfolio spanning revenue management, digital monetization, order orchestration, customer journey management, and payments, CSG is helping service providers move faster, monetize smarter, and deliver seamless omnichannel experiences.
Why This Matters Now
Most entitlement platforms stop at enablement. CSG is going further.
- Speed to market: Fast-tracked BSS integration is reducing time to revenue
- Revenue by design: Monetization models are being informed by real-world deployments
- Self-funding growth: B2B2C entitlement business cases are generating net-new revenue
- Non-negotiable trust: Compliance, security, and resilience are built in by design
Because monetization without trust does not scale.
The View from the Rear-View Mirror
Every industry has its inflection periods. For operators, 2026 is becoming one of them.
Entitlements are no longer invisible infrastructure. They are becoming a strategic lever for growth, experience, and protection. The winners are recognizing it early and acting decisively. Others are already beginning to fall behind.
The next decade will be defined by the choices operators are making now—long before someone else looks back.
Win the Next Decade with Modern Entitlements
Meet us at MWC 2026 to see how CSG helps you launch new device features in weeks, unlock new revenue models, and strengthen fraud protection. Discover what modern entitlements can really do for your business.
