Telecom and network carriers
The Index · September 2026 editionThe fibre backbones, subsea cables and carriers that connect the sites.
Revised edition. First published 2026-09-27; revised as follows:
- 2026-09-28 The Open models table was withdrawn: its dataset contained unsourced and implausible entries and omitted models released in 2026. It will return after a sourced rebuild.
- 2026-09-28 The Frontier labs, Semiconductors and Cloud tables were withdrawn after a review found errors in their data introduced by an automated research process (inflated assessment scores; quarterly revenue recorded as annual; a unit error in data-centre capacity). They will return after the data is restored from sourced values.
How to cite
Cognitive Coefficient Institute (2026). The Cognitive Coefficient Index, September 2026 edition: Telecom and network carriers. https://alpha.cognitivecoefficient.com/index/editions/2026-09/networks. Licensed CC BY 4.0.
| # | Name | Segment | SCX · Stack Capacity Index | AIX · AI exposure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | China Mobile | Mobile-led carrier | 78.0 | 18.0 |
| 02 | NTT | Integrated carrier | 76.1 | 12.0 |
| 03 | China Telecom | Integrated carrier | 72.7 | 18.0 |
| 04 | Verizon | Integrated carrier | 71.8 | 10.0 |
| 05 | AT&T | Integrated carrier | 69.7 | 10.0 |
| 06 | Zayo Group | Backbone & dark fibre | 64.5 | 45.0 |
| 07 | EXA Infrastructure | Backbone & dark fibre | 63.0 | 25.0 |
| 08 | Orange | Integrated carrier | 62.7 | 8.0 |
| 09 | China Unicom | Integrated carrier | 62.3 | 18.0 |
| 10 | Lumen Technologies | Backbone & dark fibre | 59.8 | 50.0 |
Stack Capacity Index: components and weights in this edition
Licensed CC BY 4.0: reuse freely, credit “Cognitive Coefficient Institute”. Scores are model outputs, not predictions. Terms.