SHERIDAN, WYOMING - May 13, 2026 - ANGA COM 2026 opens in Cologne, Germany, on May 19, running through May 21, with 450 exhibitors from 44 countries and a conference program spanning more than 60 panels and over 250 speakers across strategic, technical and practical topics in telecommunications, fiber and media. The event introduces three new features this year: 25 Round Table discussions, a dedicated Showroom for in-house networks, and a restructured third day recast as Theme Day Municipalities - entirely free of charge for all attendees including full conference access. For network operators, technology vendors, municipal decision-makers and media industry executives evaluating infrastructure strategy and commercial positioning, the expanded format represents a significant broadening of ANGA COM's operational and policy agenda.
Federal Minister Keynote and CEO Summit Shape the Strategic Program
The strategy program opens with a keynote address by Dr. Karsten Wildberger, German Federal Minister for Digital Transformation, placing federal gigabit policy and digital infrastructure priorities directly at the center of the conference agenda. For operators and vendors navigating German subsidy frameworks, regulatory timelines and public-private cooperation models, this session provides direct visibility into government-level strategic direction.
The Gigabit Summit assembles the CEOs of Vodafone Deutschland, Telefónica Deutschland, Deutsche Glasfaser and NetCologne for a leadership-level discussion on fiber rollout economics, competitive dynamics and wholesale strategy. An exclusive interview with RTL CEO Stephan Schmitter anchors the media side of the strategy program, alongside a dedicated TV and Streaming Summit featuring RTL, ProSiebenSat.1, ARD, Telekom Deutschland and Zattoo.
Additional strategy-tier sessions include the Fiber Summit, covering the commercial and operational conditions required to make FTTH a sustainable business case, and a new summit discussion on media policy - reflecting the increasing regulatory and structural pressure on content distribution models across European markets.
Technology and Practice Program Addresses Operational Priorities
The Technology and Practice strand of the conference covers the infrastructure and operational topics most relevant to network engineers, technical leadership and operations teams currently managing or planning next-generation network deployments.
Topics addressed across this program include:
- FTTH architecture and deployment
- In-house networks and building connectivity
- Open Access models
- Network resilience
- Data center infrastructure
- Cybersecurity
- WiFi
- Artificial intelligence in network operations
- Sustainability in broadband infrastructure
The breadth of this agenda reflects the cross-functional nature of current network investment decisions, where capital expenditure choices in fiber, security and AI integration are increasingly interconnected. For technical decision-makers attending, the program provides a structured framework for evaluating competing technology priorities against operational and commercial constraints.
Innovation Stage and Round Tables Expand Free-Access Content
Twenty-six of the more than 60 panels will take place on the Innovation Stage, located directly in exhibition hall 7, with free access for all exhibition visitors. This format gives attendees without full conference registration direct exposure to a substantial portion of the strategic and technical program without additional cost.
The most significant new conference feature is the introduction of 25 Round Table discussions. Each Round Table is led by a table captain presenting a specific thesis on a current telecommunications or media topic, with the format designed to enable structured dialogue in smaller groups rather than broadcast-style presentations. Participation in Round Tables is free of charge but requires pre-registration.
Together, the Innovation Stage and Round Tables represent a meaningful expansion of open-access conference content - lowering the engagement threshold for visitors who may be attending primarily for the exhibition but wish to participate in peer-level discussion on specific operational or strategic questions.
New Showroom for In-House Networks Adds Hands-On Demonstration
A dedicated Showroom for In-house Networks is making its debut at ANGA COM 2026, located in the foyer in front of hall 8. The Showroom presents in-building connectivity solutions in a hands-on environment rather than a conventional booth format, allowing visitors to engage directly with technology demonstrations.
The Showroom will also host guided tours and practical workshops focused on in-house network infrastructure - a topic of growing commercial significance as fiber rollout extends to multi-dwelling units and commercial buildings where last-meter connectivity presents distinct technical and regulatory challenges. For network operators, building owners, system integrators and municipal infrastructure planners, the Showroom provides a focused environment for evaluating practical deployment approaches.
Theme Day Municipalities Targets Public Sector Decision-Makers
The restructuring of the third day as Theme Day Municipalities is the most strategically significant change to the ANGA COM format for 2026. May 21 will feature the Municipalities Summit, a presence from the Federal Gigabit Bureau, and an exclusive business lunch for municipal decision-makers - bringing public sector infrastructure planners into direct dialogue with network operators and technology vendors.
Attendance on this day, including full access to the conference program, is completely free of charge. The model is designed to reduce the access barrier for municipal officials and public sector representatives who may not have conference budgets equivalent to those of commercial operators or vendors, but whose procurement, permitting and co-investment decisions are critical to the pace and economics of fiber rollout in German cities and regions.
For commercial operators and vendors, the concentration of municipal decision-makers on a dedicated day creates a structured commercial engagement opportunity that has not previously been a feature of ANGA COM's format.
Ticketing, App and Visitor Services
Exhibition tickets are priced at 25 euros. Full conference program participation starts from 140 euros. A young professional ticket for attendees under 30 years of age is available for 40 euros, continuing a category introduced in prior years. All registration is exclusively online - no ticket counters will operate on-site during the event.
The ANGA COM event app is available free of charge for iOS and Android without requiring registration, providing full agenda, speaker and floor plan details for advance planning. A personalized social media banner generator is also available, allowing attendees to create LinkedIn-ready event banners from a portrait photo upload.
The Open Air Plaza, with food trucks and exhibitor-hosted stand parties and side events, provides the primary informal networking environment across all three days of the event.