Evolving Beyond the 10-Year Technology Cycle in Telecom

For 20 years, the telecom sector has lived under the long shadow of 2000. The WorldCom collapse didn’t just destroy capital — it froze innovation. Telecoms carried the world’s data… while others captured the value. But that era is ending. AI, quantum communications, energy constraints and geopolitics are rewriting the fundamentals of the internet. And for the first time in decades, telecom operators stand at the centre of the next technological cycle. The real bottlenecks are no longer GPUs or cloud platforms — they are the foundations of the physical internet: 🌊 Subsea & long-haul fibre routes — the true backbone of AI ⚡ Energy availability — dictating where future compute can exist ⏱️ Latency paths — determining which regions can compete 🔐 Sovereignty & security — reshaping global routing and risk In this world, telecom is no longer a utility. It becomes a strategic infrastructure industry, essential for: • the AI economy • the next generation of data backbones • the relocation of compute to energy-rich regions • the emergence of the quantum-secure internet The industry that once symbolised excess and collapse now sits on the edge of a new growth cycle — not driven by hype, but by necessity. Telecom has the opportunity to reclaim its role as the architect of the global network. Not the old internet — but the new one: AI-driven, energy-driven, latency-driven, quantum-secure. ➡️ The sector’s future hasn’t looked this promising in decades.

Legacy on-premise IT systems have a stranglehold on telco innovation. The AI-first future demands speed and agility that traditional software systems simply can't deliver. In the latest Telco in 20 podcast episode, Vodafone's Dr. Lester Thomas and I dive into how a radical new approach to IT is breaking down the barriers that have stalled telecom progress. While most operators debate whether cloud-native transformation is realistic, Vodafone is demonstrating not only is it doable — it's absolutely critical. We cover: • How Vodafone moved 17 petabytes of data from 600 Hadoop servers into Google Cloud to create their foundation for AI adoption • The company’s strict "cloud native" definitions have resulted in 80-90% of digital workloads being truly cloud native • The three principles Vodafone's Open Digital Architecture is based on: machine-readable standards, open-source collaboration, and proof-of-concept testing • Why AI is forcing complete software redesign at Vodafone, and how their AI Booster platform democratizes access while maintaining governance The operators who thrive won't be the ones doing IT the way it’s been done over the last 20 years. They'll be the ones bold enough to do the heavy lifting of truly becoming cloud-native and work to create a data platform that’s usable by AI so they are able to push the boundaries of what's possible in telecom. This is THE conversation to watch before you head to TM Forum’s DTW Ignite event in Copenhagen! If you missed the LinkedIn Live event you can watch the conversation on demand or listen to the audio only version on your favorite podcast player! Links in the comments. #Vodafone #telecommunications #cloudnative #AI #digitaltransformation

Telecom Sector Update: October 2025 - Rapid Transformation: The global telecom industry is experiencing a dynamic shift, with AI, automation, and cloud-native networks driving innovation and operational efficiency. The move to 5G and even early steps towards 6G are enabling new business models, especially with private networks for enterprises and advanced IoT deployments. - Market Headlines: Telecom companies worldwide are reporting revenue growth (4.3% to $1.14 trillion globally), with India standing out for network expansion and rural connectivity efforts. Notably, India has reached 75% of its "100% telecom saturation" mission, consolidating leadership through massive investments in infrastructure. - Financial Trends: Operators are under pressure to raise mobile tariffs as investment in network technology outpaces revenue in highly competitive markets. Yet, telecom stocks remain attractive due to their stable, recurring income bolstered by fiber and 5G rollouts. - Leading Indicators:     - Subscriber Base: India remains the world's second-largest telecom market with over 1.2 billion subscribers, and nearly 996 million broadband users as of September 2025.   - Data Trends: Monthly data usage per user leads globally, powered by surging demands for video, gaming, AR/VR, and AI-driven services.   - Network Expansion: Accelerated rollout of 4G densification, fiberization for 5G backhaul, and new broadband growth in tier-2/3 towns are significant.   - Policy Developments: New cybersecurity rules, spectrum auctions, and Digital India policy pushes are shaping the regulatory landscape. - Tech and Business Evolution:     - AI Adoption: Over half of telecom companies have implemented AI at scale, with another 37% actively scaling up. Generative AI is cited as a long-term growth engine by 65% of Indian CXOs.   - Cloud and Edge: Cloud-native networks are the new normal, boosting agility, service assurance, and digital transformation for enterprise customers.   - Sustainability: Green networks and sustainable business practices are coming to the forefront, as the sector aligns with global environmental goals. - Risks & Outlook: Key risks for 2025 include regulatory shifts, cybersecurity threats, and adapting to new business models and spectrum management. Market analysts expect telecom's robust performance to continue fueling a bull run in Indian equities. Conclusion:   The telecom sector is at a crossroads—technology, investment, and sustainability are shaping its future. Markets like India, Turkey, Europe, and North America stand out for innovation and growth. Forward-looking indicators such as rural adoption, ARPU increases, swift 5G rollout, fiber penetration, and strategic AI deployment will point the way ahead. #TelecomTrends #5G #6G #AIinTelecom #DigitalIndia #TelecomNews #IndustryInsights #Connectivity #NetworkInnovation

We’ve seen this story before. 2015: “Self-driving cars in 2 years” 2016: “Radiologists obsolete in 5 years” 2024: Reality check. Now fast forward to Telco & Networking: “AI will run networks autonomously.” “Zero-touch operations will eliminate NOCs.” “Self-healing networks will remove human intervention.” Let’s be precise. In telecom environments—especially large-scale DC fabrics, MPLS cores, and multi-vendor ecosystems—complexity doesn’t disappear. It compounds. AI will transform operations—but not by replacing engineers. It will augment decision-making, reduce MTTR, and surface anomalies faster than humans can detect. What actually works today: • AI-assisted fault correlation (noise reduction across millions of events) • Configuration drift detection and compliance enforcement • Predictive capacity and hardware failure insights • Intelligent automation pipelines (closed-loop, but supervised) What doesn’t (yet): • Fully autonomous networks without human guardrails • Black-box AI making production-impacting decisions • One-size-fits-all models across heterogeneous telco stacks The takeaway for Telco leaders: 👉 Don’t chase hype cycles—engineer for reality 👉 Focus on incremental AI adoption with measurable outcomes 👉 Build observability + data pipelines first, AI later 👉 Keep humans in the loop—especially for critical control planes AI in networking is not a replacement strategy. It’s a force multiplier for operational excellence. #Telco #Networking #AI #NetOps #Automation #NOC #Observability

Architecting the Future: The Telecom Industry's Strategic Pivot from Utility to Value The pivotal question for Telecom is no longer about building better pipes,but about defining the value we create with them. We've achieved something remarkable: powering modern life through global connectivity. Now, our greatest opportunity is to evolve from connectivity providers into architects of unique digital economies. This isn't just a technical upgrade; it's a fundamental strategic shift. As our infrastructure matures into an intelligent, AI-driven platform, it prompts a crucial question for every leader: What is our core business in five years? The answer won't be universal. It will be shaped by local needs, national ambitions, and the partnerships we cultivate. • Food Security: In one region, our real-time data and AI could form the foundation for a national smart agriculture platform. • Public Services: In another, our edge computing and security could be trusted to support a next-generation public health or education system. • Economic Engine: Elsewhere, our platform might become the essential engine for smart manufacturing and digital twins. This transition—from a utility to an enabler—is less about any single technology and more about our collective vision. This is a defining moment for the Telecom industry. I believe our path forward is through collaborative vision. So I pose this question to my network: Based on your expertise, what are the most compelling platform-driven opportunities that can reshape key industries and redefine the future of Telecom? I look forward to reading your perspectives and learning from your insights. #Telecom #FutureOfConnectivity #PlatformStrategy #AI #DigitalTransformation #BusinessModelInnovation #IndustryLeadership

The U.S. telecom industry is in a massive transition right now—and if you’re in it, you’re feeling it. Here’s what’s really going on Fiber is winning. Carriers are doubling down on fiber builds across the country. Massive investments (like AT&T’s $250B infrastructure push) are being driven by AI, cloud, and data demand. Translation: Fiber engineers, OSP, and construction talent are still in HIGH demand. 5G isn’t the gold rush we expected. The hype was huge—but ROI has been slower than expected, leading to restructuring and cost cutting across vendors. AI is reshaping telecom jobs. Companies are rethinking workforce structures, automating operations, and shifting toward software-driven networks. Layoffs + hiring at the same time. Sounds crazy, but it’s true: Layoffs hitting vendors, tower companies, and legacy roles Hiring ramping up in fiber, infrastructure, and field ops This is a rebalancing of the workforce, not a collapse. () Skilled labor shortage is real. Even with layoffs, the industry still faces a shortage of fiber and field talent that could slow builds nationwide. The bottom line: Telecom isn’t shrinking—it’s evolving. ** Copper → Fiber ** Hardware → Software ** Manual work → Automation And the people who adapt to that shift will win. If you’re in telecom (or trying to break in), now is the time to: Learn fiber Understand network infrastructure Stay close to where the investment is going I work with telecom professionals and companies across the U.S.—always open to connect and talk shop. #telecom #broadband #letsconnect #hiring #telecomhiring #fiber #ospengineer #ospinspector #movingmountains

The telecom industry has spent two decades hunting for a new revenue silver bullet, only to find itself relegated to the "dumb pipe" status. While the buzz at Mobile World Congress centered on foldable phones and AI-branded handsets, the real shift is happening in the network architecture itself—turning idle infrastructure into a high-margin compute marketplace. The latest episode of "The Week with Roger" reveals why the "AI RAN" isn't just a technical upgrade, but the first credible business model for carriers to monetize their massive capital investments. 1. Monetizing the "Fallow" Compute Networks are built for peak capacity—the morning commute or the evening streaming rush. For the rest of the day, that massive processing power sits idle. By shifting from traditional fixed ASICs to NVIDIA-based GPUs, carriers can now resell this "fallow" compute as AI tokens. T-Mobile is already proving the model by running live translation services on its own base stations, keeping the revenue rather than paying a third party for the compute. 2. From Data Centers to John Saw's Kinetic Tokens The old "edge compute" model failed because it tried to sell data center space to end users. The AI RAN model is different: it creates a fungible currency of AI tokens. Whether it is real-time translation or local AI processing, the network becomes a distributed computer that initiates physical outcomes in real time. 3. The 6G Equipment Cycle Advantage This transition requires a complete hardware rethink. Because T-Mobile entered the 5G cycle earlier than its peers, they are positioned to hit the 6G equipment refresh five years ahead of the competition. Their joint 6G lab with Deutsche Telekom and Qualcomm is already targeting prototypes by 2029, specifically designed to handle these AI workloads at the edge. 4. The $480 Billion Revenue Drain While carriers look for new income, they are leaking existing revenue at a staggering rate. The GSMA now pegs the impact of global fraud at nearly half a trillion dollars annually. The move toward AI-integrated networks isn't just about selling tokens; it is about using that same on-site compute to identify and kill fraud in milliseconds before it hits the bottom line. 5. The European Cautionary Tale European carriers, burdened by low returns and a lack of investment, are falling behind in this compute race. With the U.S. spending five to six times more on capex, American networks are becoming the testing ground for this new "compute-reseller" model, while European infrastructure risks crumbling into coverage holes and 2G fallbacks. Is the telecom industry prepared to become a global compute provider, or will carriers remain the pipes that others use to transport AI value? Listen to the full analysis on "The Week with Roger" to hear how these shifts will redefine the market by 2029. https://bit.ly/40OuZUy

For decades, CSPs poured billions into 4G, 5G, spectrum, and radio networks — yet much of the digital value was captured above the network. Why? Because the value is not in infrastructure alone but also in the intelligence layer. In 2024, the top 100 operators generated $1.75T in revenue — but spent $1.38T in OPEX. That’s a massive opportunity to unlock profits. And it won’t be solved by more spectrum or faster radios. It will be solved by AI, automation, and a rethink of OSS/BSS and IT — from back-office systems into engines of growth, monetization, and customer experience. Legacy silos across billing, CRM, and network data are holding back innovation. Modern data platforms harnessing graph datasets and agentic AI will help change the trajectory — turning raw data into real-time intelligence that can act, orchestrate, and monetize. We’re already seeing it happen: > AI-driven anomaly detection and traffic prediction > Digital twins optimizing network energy use > Intent-based automation cutting order-to-cash cycles > GenAI agents accelerating catalog migration and product design Suppliers like Ericsson are embedding AI and automation across OSS/BSS to help CSPs reclaim control of key revenue levers. The winners will be those who shift investment toward the intelligence layer — building platforms that activate data, scale automation, and create new revenue streams. The question isn’t who builds the fastest network anymore. It’s who builds the smartest platform. For more on how this is being applied check out: https://lnkd.in/ehZhAk3h #Telecom #AI #Automation #OSS #BSS #AgenticAI #5G #NetworkAutomation #DigitalTransformation #AppledoreResearch #InnovatorsDilemma

After spending the week in Barcelona at Mobile World Congress, meeting with operators, infrastructure providers, software companies, investors, colleagues and friends across the global telecom ecosystem, the future of Artificial Intelligence within the mobile network has arrived! A decade ago, Mobile World Congress was largely driven by smartphone innovation, smartphone cameras, device roadmaps, battery life and screen size. Today, the industry conversation has fundamentally shifted. MWC has evolved from a mobile device showcase into a global digital infrastructure summit, where the focus is increasingly focused and dominated on the convergence of AI, compute, cloud and connectivity. 5 themes stood out most this year: 1) AI Is Moving Into the Core of the Network: AI is no longer just analytics layered on top of telecom systems. It is being embedded directly into network infrastructure. AI-RAN architectures will optimize radio networks, autonomous network operations, with AI agents interacting with telecom infrastructure and with AI-enabled service experiences integrated into calls and devices. The shift underway is from networks that carry intelligence to networks that are themselves intelligent. 2) Satellite and Cellular Networks Are Converging: Direct-to-device satellite connectivity was one of the most discussed innovations this year. Partnerships between mobile operators and low-earth-orbit satellite providers are enabling satellite-to-phone connectivity and integrating non-terrestrial networks into 5G standards. Rather than competing with terrestrial networks, satellite is becoming a complementary layer that expands global coverage and resilience. 3) 5G Monetization: Another major theme is the industry’s focus on generating meaningful returns from 5G investments. • Private 5G networks • Fixed wireless access • Network slicing • Enterprise edge computing 4) Edge AI and Device Intelligence Are Accelerating: AI capabilities are increasingly moving closer to the user, i.e. running directly on devices and at the network edge. AI assistants integrated into telecom services, edge computing tied to RAN infrastructure and AI-enabled devices are aligning telecom with the broader global AI compute ecosystem. 5) Roadmap Toward 6G Is Already Emerging: As 5G matures, the industry is already exploring AI-native 6G architectures which is expected to unveil in 2030s, which would include integrated sensing, digital twins and autonomous infrastructure. Big Picture: Connectivity → Compute + Connectivity → Intelligent Networks. The companies that will lead the next decade of digital infrastructure will be those that successfully interlace AI innovation across telecom-satellite convergence, enterprise and government ecosystems balancing growth, operational efficiency and customer experience. #Bowen #MWC2026 #AI #Telecom #5G #6G #EdgeComputing #SatelliteConnectivity #NetworkAutomation #DigitalInfrastructure #AIInfrastructure #EnterpriseNetworking

The most dangerous mindset for a telecom provider today is believing that connectivity is their final destination. It's merely the starting point. In a recent strategy session, a conversation that began with optimizing AI workload costs quickly evolved into a much larger opportunity: transforming from a connectivity provider into a high-value 𝗔𝗜-𝗮𝘀-𝗮-𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 (𝗔𝗜𝗮𝗮𝗦) 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲. The client's immediate problem was the high cost of running AI in the public cloud. The obvious solution was to find a more cost-effective platform. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆—𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀. We mapped out a phased approach to help them move up the value stack. Instead of just providing the pipes, they can leverage their network's low-latency advantages to offer specialized AI solutions to their B2B customers. The key learning was this: Don't just solve your own cost problem; use the solution to create a revenue opportunity. This involves: - 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝘀: Pinpointing specific industries like healthcare, retail, or manufacturing where low-latency AI can solve critical problems - 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴: Collaborating with specialized AI platform providers on a revenue-share model to bridge internal skill gaps and accelerate time-to-market - 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆: Shifting the business model to capture value from the services running 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 the network, not just the network itself This is the evolution required to break free from the commoditization trap. It's a fundamental shift from infrastructure provider to value creator. Are telcos ready to make this leap? #AI in networking #Managed services trends