This year's program highlights how Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) has evolved far beyond individual industries. What originally began as an extension of Ethernet for time-critical communication is increasingly becoming the common communications platform for industrial automation, professional audiovisual applications, aerospace, automotive, and future 5G and Wi-Fi infrastructures.

The TSN/A Conference 2026 not only showcases the current state of the art but also demonstrates the industry's transition from proprietary solutions to open, interoperable ecosystems. This is precisely what makes the conference such an important discussion platform: it brings together the stakeholders who are jointly shaping the future of deterministic communications.

Keynote: Interoperability Instead of Protectionism

The conference opens with the joint keynote "The Future Isn't About Whose Network Protocol Wins" by Andrew Davies (Meyer Sound), Genio Kronauer (L-Acoustics), and Daniel Zimmermann (d&b audiotechnik).

Representing three competing ProAV manufacturers, the speakers will explain how the success story of Milan-AVB demonstrates that competitors can create significantly greater value by collaborating on common standards. Their central message is clear: companies should stop competing on network infrastructure and instead compete through the innovations they build on top of it.

Milan demonstrates that open standards enable interoperability, deterministic communication, and seamless multi-vendor integration without limiting competition. On the contrary, standardizing the underlying infrastructure creates entirely new opportunities for innovation.

The keynote extends this perspective well beyond the ProAV industry. Industrial automation, aerospace, automotive, and telecommunications are all moving toward common TSN profiles. At the same time, TSN over 5G and Wi-Fi is opening new possibilities for converged communication networks. The conclusion is clear: the future will not be determined by which networking protocol prevails, but by whether industries are willing to build upon a shared technological foundation.

TSN in Practice

The first conference day begins with the latest developments in international standardization. Representatives from industry as well as user and standards organizations will provide updates on the current status of IEEE 802.1 TSN, TIACC, IETF DetNet, and IEEE 802.11 specifications.

Another major focus will be the IEC/IEEE 60802 industrial TSN profile, TSN testbeds, and recent advances in certification and interoperability. Presentations from the Avnu Alliance, Siemens, Intel, and other organizations will demonstrate how standardized TSN profiles are increasingly finding their way into real-world applications.

In the afternoon, the focus shifts to practical use cases. Technical presentations will cover topics including 25 Gb/s TSN for automotive zonal architectures, PROFINET over TSN, open-source TSN control planes, and applications in industrial automation and aerospace.

The program is complemented by the hands-on workshop "TSN in Practice: Engineering the Deterministic Ethernet Backbone for Industry," providing participants with practical engineering approaches and implementation insights.

OPC UA FX, Linux, and Modern TSN Architectures

The second conference day focuses on the convergence of TSN and OPC UA FX. Experts from the OPC Foundation, Analog Devices, NXP, and other organizations will discuss the integration of deterministic communications into modern industrial architectures.

Parallel technical sessions will address topics including Per-Stream Filtering and Policing, TSN network configuration and management, validation and test frameworks, and time synchronization.

The afternoon sessions will focus on Linux-based TSN systems, TSN traffic encryption, NETCONF/YANG-based network configuration, and best practices for deploying deterministic networks.