Challenges and opportunities on the horizon for B2B telco providers
The B2B telecommunications world is currently experiencing a set of interesting upheavals.
On the one hand, major new technologies such as 5G, IoT and AI / Machine Learning are poised to drastically alter the scope of what is achievable in the industry, while simultaneously testing the agility and preparedness of larger CSPs.
On the other hand, the aftermath of Covid has left its mark on people’s work habits - hybrid working, flexible hours, home offices - and business customer expectations, which are increasingly matching those of consumers: e.g. using self-service channels, personalisation and access to a wider range of products.
Finally, the combination of these two elements has created massive opportunities for smaller telco players to venture into newly created territories before their larger competitors can.
CloudSense CTO Alex Fuller recently sat down for an interview with Total Telecom, to offer his thoughts on an exciting time for B2B telecommunications such as:
On 5G
“5G offers opportunities - but also challenges - to CSPs. On the one hand, there is the whole set of new commercial possibilities, but the ability to implement a truly digital backbone throughout your business is really key..
“New capabilities, such as network slicing, only serve to increase the drive towards automation and digitization.
“It is equally important to address the commercial layer: you need to be able to come up with product offerings, new ways of combining them, and ensure the business agility is there to adapt, respond and innovate to take advantage of the opportunity at hand.”
To learn more about how telcos can monetize 5G, download our in-depth guide on the subject for free here.
On IoT
“[The Internet of Things] is interesting because of the volumes involved, and the different commercial models that are associated with it.
“But highly automated and properly digitized operations are needed to enable that kind of scale… where there are disconnects and manual interventions in process, the pain and cost can quickly grow...”
On AI
“It’s really about the diversity and quality of data that you can acquire to drive the insights [needed for AI].
“Machine learning can really help drive sales effectiveness for B2B: you can understand usage patterns and opportunities across very large cohorts...
“[AI] can be essential in proposing the right tariffs, price plans and optimizations on a deal-specific basis, to help effectively drive competitive pricing while protecting your margins.
“It’s an area where there is a lot of exploration and experimentation still, but there are some really tangible benefits that we’re seeing”
On enterprise vs smaller businesses
“The smaller organizations often have the ability to out-manoeuvre and out-compete their larger competitors, due to their agility and ability to innovate and adapt commercially... but it’s the same underlying technology challenge
“It’s critical to have well-digitized and well-automated processes throughout the value chain, and the ability to make quick changes to innovate in terms of new product offerings.”
