Deloitte 2026 TMT predictions - Gifts beat gigabits

The prediction 'gifts beat gigabits,' highlights a significant shift in consumer priorities within developed mobile markets. Deloitte predicts that in 2026, mobile phone operator reward schemes (for example, free coffee, cinema tickets or priority event access) may matter as much as, or even more than, network performance.

Key predictions and supporting research: 

• Customer demand for network speed and latency has largely been satisfied in developed markets such as the UK, making further network upgrades less impactful on consumer loyalty. Two in three (66%) of mobile customers surveyed in the UK noticed no difference in their network in the past 12 months.

• The 2025 Deloitte Consumer Trends report found that rewards came a close second to better coverage when asked what factors would cause them to switch mobile networks, aside from pricing (33% to 37% respectively). 

• In the UK, year on year increases in mobile data consumption have dropped from 41% in 2020, to 10% in 2024.  

• Offering rewards can help mobile operators differentiate beyond just price, especially as mobile tariffs have seen significant declines in some markets:
  • Gen Z and Millennial consumers, along with higher-income consumers, show a greater inclination to switch networks based on loyalty rewards compared to older or lower-income groups. 
  • By generation, 38% and 42% of Gen Z and Millennials respectively, would be encouraged to switch mobile network because of loyalty schemes compared to 29% and 20% of Gen X and Boomers, respectively.  
  • By household income, 37% of households earning £75,000+ would be encouraged to switch mobile network because of loyalty schemes, compared to 27% of households earning up to £13,499.

Paul Lee, partner, and head of research for technology, media and telecommunications, at Deloitte, said: “Our latest TMT predictions show a pivotal shift in consumer priorities, in which a slice of pizza or free coffee, may hold more allure than a slice of standalone 5G.

“As mobile users are unlikely to particularly notice network upgrades, the marketing of future advancements such as 6G, despite significant technical improvements, will likely be a challenge to the network provider. Operators must now focus on tangible rewards to attract and retain customers, however, multiple providers offering similar perks could dilute this appeal. 

“The transformation of consumer connectivity is also nearing completion. The probability is high that no fundamentally revolutionary devices or transformative applications that attain mainstream adoption will emerge by 2030.”

The full prediction can be read here. You can read the other Deloitte 2026 TMT predictions here.