Global Telecoms - The Future of the Telecoms Industry

Synopsis

Archived report.There are opportunities for the telcos if they are prepared to embrace change. Embracing the OTT model is one option as it opens the way for telcos to start offering certain services internationally. An OTT business model allows the world to become their marketplace. Many of the OTT services already have an international character - and there will obviously be fewer players who will be able to take on a significant role in the global market.

Maybe the Internet of Things, based on M2M, offers another alternative that is perhaps more identifiable with the culture and systems of the telcos.

Bandwidth and the management of it also comes perhaps more naturally to the telcos, and this might be where they can start adding value to their business – not the bandwidth itself, but the availability of it at the right time and in the right place. Obviously this also involves a large ICT infrastructure and analytic capabilities to make these services of interest to their customers.

It is not too late for telcos to move in these directions, but if the past 30 years of telco history is any indication, where the approach was to stop innovation and competition in order to protect their monopoly – then the majority will fail to take up this opportunity.

Latest developments:

Telstra in Australia is one of the first telcos to recognise that, like it or not, a massive displacement is taking place, from old voice and messaging services to OTT-based models. It is making the changes required to embrace this future.