Telecom Transformation Best Practices

The Mobile Telco Model Is Broken....And That Might Not Be a Bad Thing I had a good conversation with a senior Telco CEO yesterday. We both agreed: the mobile telecom model isn’t just under pressure... it’s broken. And not recently. It’s been structurally broken for over 15 years. Revenues? Growing at 2% a year globally, below inflation. ROIC? Still under the cost of capital for most operators. NPS? Telcos hover around 20–30 while tech companies push 60+. Opex? In many markets, it eats up 80% of revenue. And price erosion? We’ve normalized losing 30–40% of GB value per year. And what are we still selling? Buckets of data. Now, when something is broken, you need to go to foundational aspects of our business. First, telcos must become digital-first. Customers don’t compare you to other telcos, they compare you to Uber, Amazon, and Apple. That’s the bar. If it takes 12 clicks to activate a line or change a plan, you’ve already lost. Second, you need deep personalization at scale. Spotify knows your mood. Telcos still offer “Youth Plan 3.0.” Microsegments aren’t enough. You need individual-level context. Every offer, touchpoint, and upsell should feel tailor-made. Third, get out of the legacy trap. The OSS/BSS model is dead. Nobody has three years to rebuild a CRM or billing engine. Those projects fail. The only path is cloud-native, agile execution, rapid deployment, fail-fast loops, and zero patience for waterfall digital transformation roadmaps. Amazon Changes 2.5 million prices every day and I can assure you they don't have a group of consultants running a 3 year transformation project to make it happen. Fourth, adopt customer obsession as a core value, not a slide. Amazon isn’t customer-centric because it says so; it’s because the product, support, and incentives are aligned with the user every step of the way. Telcos need to unlearn product-first thinking. Finally, stop thinking of your network as a commodity. It’s not a GB plan. It’s a programmable platform. One that can offer privacy, identity, location, QoS, and trust. If you can expose that as a service, you stop being a utility and start being essential infrastructure again. The model is broken. But that might be the best thing that’s happened to this industry in years.

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

🇵🇰 Pakistan’s Telecom Shake-Up: 5 Transformations to redefine who wins After years of cautious investment, sector is entering rapid transformation. 5G on the horizon, nationwide fiber rollouts, and the digital economy expanding fast. The upcoming Ufone 4G –Telenor merger adds another realignment and will reshape market dynamics. Here are my five key transformations and actions. 1️⃣ 5G and Fiber Convergence Next generation of connectivity will depend on how well operators combine 5G radio networks with fiber backhaul. Pakistan’s 5G readiness is improving, but success hinges on affordability, backhaul density, and enterprise adoption. ACTION:
• Prioritize fiber-to-site expansion and urban 5G pilots.
• Focus on enterprise use cases like IoT and smart cities.
• Work with government on pricing and rollout. 2️⃣ National Fiberization & Broadband Growth The National Fiberisation Plan (Nov 2024) aims to connect millions, creating the backbone for digital inclusion. ACTION:
• Partner with infrastructure funds and ISPs for shared builds.
• Offer value-added bundles — managed Wi-Fi, OTT, cloud backup — to grow ARPU.
• Simplify rollout through low-cost installs and municipal cooperation. PTCL.Official, the largest fiber owner, can evolve into a neutral-host and wholesale provider (like BT WHOLESALE) — monetizing its network while driving industry growth. 3️⃣ Mobile Money & Digital Ecosystems Telcos are becoming digital lifestyle and fintech platforms. JazzCash and easypaisa digital bank dominate payments, but competition from banks and startups is heating up. ACTION:
• Treat fintech as core business, not a side venture.
• Expand APIs and merchant ecosystems for everyday payments.
• Use transaction data (with consent) for micro-credit and insurance. 4️⃣ Infrastructure Sharing & Energy Efficiency Rising energy costs and capital pressure are driving operators to share and monetize infrastructure. ACTION: • Monetize towers and dark fiber to unlock capital.
• Invest in green power and energy-efficient radios.
• Pursue shared rural coverage for sustainable expansion. 5️⃣ Enterprise Focus (Cloud, IoT & Cybersecurity) Enterprises are demanding secure connectivity, private cloud, and managed services. Telcos must become digital transformation partners. ACTION:
• Partner with cloud providers for hybrid solutions.
• Bundle connectivity + cloud + security for SMEs.
• Build data centers meeting local compliance and cybersecurity standards. PTCL.Official and Jazz already have enterprise footprints — both can evolve into digital service leaders. The Road Ahead The Ufone–Telenor merger will reshape Pakistan’s telecom landscape. The next few years will decide who leads Pakistan’s digital decade — those who act boldly on fiber, 5G, fintech, and enterprise services will capture not just customers, but ecosystems.

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

Before vs. After Agile Transformation - What Changed? 1. Project Planning: Long-Term Forecast vs. Iterative Delivery         • Before Agile: Planning was upfront and rigid - Gantt charts, fixed scope, and long timelines. Changes were costly and resisted.         • After Agile: Work is broken into sprints; planning is continuous. Teams adapt quickly to change, and customers see results earlier. Real Outcome: In a telecom OSS migration project, early delivery of MVP (Minimum Viable Product) helped customer care teams begin training months ahead of full deployment. 2. Requirements Gathering: Big Design Upfront vs. Evolving Requirements         • Before Agile: Detailed requirement documents were created and signed off months before development started.         • After Agile: Requirements evolve based on feedback. Epics and user stories are refined continuously. Real Outcome: In a mobility app project, user feedback after the first release led to quick  redesigns that significantly improved customer satisfaction scores (CSAT). 3. Team Collaboration: Siloed Roles vs. Cross-functional Teams         • Before Agile: Developers, testers, and operations worked in silos, causing delays and handover inefficiencies.         • After Agile: Teams are cross-functional, with developers, testers, and even business analysts working together. Real Outcome: In a 5G provisioning system rollout, having network engineers embedded in Agile squads reduced API integration errors by 40%. 4. Delivery Cadence: Big Bang Releases vs. Incremental Releases         • Before Agile: Software was released every 6–12 months, often late and over budget.         • After Agile: Features are delivered incrementally every 2–4 weeks. Real Outcome: A telecom billing platform began delivering usable features every sprint, enabling early revenue assurance testing and customer onboarding ahead of schedule. 5. Risk Management: Reactive vs. Proactive         • Before Agile: Risks were identified too late—usually during testing or post-deployment.         • After Agile: Regular retrospectives and sprint reviews highlight issues early. Real Outcome: A mobile number portability (MNP) system spotted performance bottlenecks during early sprints, leading to proactive scalability solutions before live traffic hit. 6. Customer Involvement: Periodic Check-ins vs. Continuous Feedback         • Before Agile: Customers were involved mainly at the start and end of the project.         • After Agile: Stakeholders join sprint reviews and planning sessions regularly. Real Outcome: A telecom partner portal transformation saw NPS (Net Promoter Score) rise by 25 points due to constant alignment with partners' real-time feedback. Follow Shraddha Sahu for more insights

Over 5 years observing almost 200 operators globally as they wrestle with the need to modernize, I've observed three distinct stages of transformation maturity. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: Transformation maturity isn't determined by an operator's size or number of engineers—it's determined by an understanding of the necessary operational, process, and organizational changes, and the resulting confidence in their ability to reliably operate a multi-vendor network infrastructure. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 (𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝟭𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀) These operators are through both knotholes—architecture and operations—and are actively planning comprehensive network transformation encompassing technology, people, and process change. They understand that transformation requires engineering-level partnerships with suppliers and new operational models. They also understand the fundamental difference between closed system qualification and open system lifecycle management—and are building both the capabilities and the vendor partnerships to effectively operate open architectures at scale. They're not just buying disaggregated technology; they're building the operational ecosystem to make it work. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗿𝘀 (𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝟯𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀) These operators understand the architecture change required and are beginning to unpack the operational implications of that architecture change and the associated multi-vendor logistics. They're discovering that network disaggregation requires new approaches to vendor engagement, testing, integration, and ongoing operations. The smart ones are actively experimenting and building new operational capabilities. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 (𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝟲𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀) These operators have largely understood the requisite change in technology architecture but have not yet begun to contemplate the required changes in network operations and vendor engagement. They're still operating under traditional procurement and integration models while planning for disaggregated network architectures. The gap between architectural vision and operational reality hasn't fully crystallized yet. We've seen this movie before in other industries. Digital transformation is hard. The availability of innovative technology is necessary, but real transformation demands much more than buying new kit. Which stage of transformation maturity is your organization in? And how can we help you advance to the next stage? #TelecomTransformation #NetworkModernization #DigitalTransformation #OpenRAN #Telecom #Iwork4Dell

In past years, I had the opportunity to work on data science and autonomous network projects with the telecom companies. While the industry buzzes with talks of self-healing systems and intent-based architectures, most operators are still stuck in neutral. In these projects, (good) data is the fuel of choice for meaningful results. However, data is scattered across many siloed organizations. These organizations have their own goals, and often, there's a lack of thoughtful cross-alignment between them. Significant cultural and organizational hurdles persist, as many companies struggle with "kingdom building" by stitching several legacy systems, and lack granular data on the high costs of manual operational tasks. To bridge this gap, telcos must prioritize building robust knowledge graphs and digital maps from their own single source of truth, rather than simply purchasing automation as a pre-packaged product. Here are a few things I learned: 1) Stop repairing the past: investing capital to modernize 30- to 40-year-old legacy OSS/BSS systems is throwing good money after bad. Instead of "repairing" the past, the most viable strategy is a "Clean Slate" approach: build new products on autonomous platforms and migrate customers to them. 2) Autonomous networks work best with slim teams: We have seen better outcomes with smaller teams (6 to 8 contributors-data, AI, and domain experts), but there's a catch; They must have the ownership and the authority from the broader organization to implement their efforts, otherwise it's just a nice PoC. 3) Opex reduction bonus: As telcos decommission legacy infrastructure, real estate, and energy will deliver Opex savings. We have seen some telcos drastically reduce their footprint in buildings they can't leave for strategic reasons, while reducing power consumption or reusing it for GPUaaS. Telecom executives want stability and not change. Change is a means to an end. Unfortunately, autonomous networks are a change management journey that will take several years to deliver outcomes. The industry must prevent buying into marketing hype and start addressing the systemic obstacles—from data hygiene to organizational rot—that prevent true autonomy.

⚡ Why are large corporation service centers still operating like it’s 1999? Walk into any telecom service center in Africa today and you’ll see the same thing: Long lines. Frustrated customers. Agents overwhelmed with repetitive requests. And here’s the part that shocks me most: almost no data is being captured. No record of why people came. No insights on which issues show up most often. No system to learn, automate, and cut the waiting time. 👉 Imagine if instead: Every interaction was logged. Patterns of issues were analyzed. A small, localized AI model (running right there at the edge) could instantly handle repetitive questions: “How do I check my balance?” “Why is my SIM not working?” “How do I upgrade my plan?” Suddenly: ✅ 40–60% of customer traffic is solved automatically. ✅ Customers get answers in seconds instead of hours. ✅ Agents focus only on complex issues where human touch matters. ✅ Telecoms gain data to redesign services, reduce churn, and upsell smarter. This is not about big cloud AI models eating massive compute. This is about lean, efficient, small AI models running locally—fast, affordable, and reliable even when the internet is down. 💡 The truth is: telecom service centers could transform from cost-heavy, frustrating bottlenecks into AI-powered efficiency hubs. The question is not “Can we do this?”—the tech already exists. The question is: “When will telecoms wake up and deploy it?” Because the first players to adopt this model will gain: Higher customer satisfaction. Lower operational costs. A competitive edge no one else can match. What do you think—are telecoms ready to let AI finally fix the service center experience? #AI #EdgeComputing #Telecom #CustomerExperience #Automation #Innovation

Is your telco truly transforming — or just modernizing legacy pain points? The distinction matters. Most telecom leaders I meet say they’re “on a transformation journey.” But when you dig in, it’s often about lifting legacy systems into the cloud or adding analytics layers — not rethinking how data is governed, owned, and operationalized. I just read Witboost’s new whitepaper on Digital Transformation in Telecommunications, and it draws a much-needed line in the sand. Check it out here – https://lnkd.in/dFuY_jTh  The real obstacles telcos face? - Fragmented architectures post M&A - Centralized governance models that slow delivery - Siloed data sets that stall customer innovation - Rising CapEx/OpEx pressure, legacy cost drag The way forward? Treat data as a product — with ownership, SLAs, and value delivery Apply computational governance at runtime, not retroactively Move from top-down command to decentralized, domain-driven ops Align cloud and on-prem through hybrid infra and Infrastructure-as-Code This report doesn’t just talk frameworks — it gives you: ✔ A phased transformation roadmap (6–18+ months) ✔ KPIs across value, cost, and maturity ✔ Use-case pathways to validate strategy (churn, efficiency, observability) In an industry where network downtime can cost $1.2M/hour, operational speed and clarity are business-critical. This is a rare report that speaks to enterprise strategy and execution. 👉 Download here: https://lnkd.in/dFuY_jTh How are you measuring the real ROI of your transformation today?

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐝𝐬: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐀𝐠𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦 𝐎𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 The traditional telco playbook is evolving — and fast. Leading #telecom companies worldwide are embracing #agile operating models to become customer-centric, fast-moving tech organizations ready for the future. The recent #McKinsey article “Inside agile telcos: Organizing to value and what it takes to succeed” offers powerful insights from telcos like #Safaricom, #Masmovil, and #Cogeco that are driving this change. 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 🔹𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 ▪Agile transformations are driven by a strategic need for speed, customer focus, and cross-functional collaboration.  ▪McKinsey research shows organizations undergoing agile transformations are three times more likely to be top-quartile performers.  ▪This proves that agility is a powerful enabler of business success in fast-changing markets. 🔹𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 ▪Successful agile telcos redesign their structure around value creation instead of legacy silos, empowering cross-functional squads with end-to-end ownership.  ▪Masmovil achieved 80% of employees working in agile ways within two years.  ▪This structure enhances accountability and reduces friction between teams. 🔹𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 ▪Workflows accelerate through unified quarterly business reviews (#QBRs) that align strategy, budgeting, and priorities across units.  ▪Teams work in optimized two-week agile cycles, and telcos like Masmovil have rapidly integrated AI use cases across business processes.  ▪These workflow improvements reduce delays and enable faster delivery of impactful products. 🔹𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐄𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 ▪Talent models shift from roles to skill-based groupings, increasing the share of engineers or data scientists where needed.  ▪Leaders spend significant time coaching and enabling dozens of teams weekly instead of micromanaging.  ▪This shift supports continuous learning and ensures the right skills are applied to highest-value work. 🔹𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 ▪A culture founded on trust, transparency, and a “fail fast, learn fast” mindset creates a sense of ownership and purpose.  ▪Safaricom went from “I’m told what to do” to “I own the outcome,” fueling higher engagement and innovation.  ▪Career progression now prioritizes proficiency in skills over hierarchical moves. Transforming a telco for today’s volatile environment is complex but essential. Top leadership commitment and a mindset of relentless evolution are the secret ingredients to succeed. 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞/𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭: https://lnkd.in/gzUVkpjA #AI #DigitalTransformation #GenerativeAI #GenAI #Innovation  #ArtificialIntelligence #ML #ThoughtLeadership #NiteshRastogiInsights