SPONSORED FEATURE

5G Connected Enterprise -
A Digital World of Possibilities

Introduction
The world of Telcos is now going
beyond SIMs or connected
points, and is becoming a world
of humans, machines, analytics,
processes, and systems of
engagement. A world where
challenges need to be addressed
with industry specific solutions.
And, to make this transaction
towards becoming technology
companies, CSPs need to move
away from just being focussed on
connectivity to start seeing things
from not only their customer point
of view but also from the viewpoint
of their customer’s customer. Telcos
need to understand the issues
faced by their customers.
Telecom operators are expecting
to grow their B2B revenues, where
more than 50% of CSPs expect Rise of the Virtual Telco topline growth. With the aim
to see long term revenue growth of providing a combination
Telcos are evolving their B2B
from B2B services, while only of technology and telecom
business strategy to get closer
10% of CSPs can currently boast solutions on a single platform,
to their customer needs by
of substantial earnings from B2B telecom companies are going
offering more specialised
offerings. The enterprise revenue beyond their core connectivity
solutions rather than managing
of leading CSPs such as Verizon offerings, bridging the gap
customer expectations with
and Telefonica range from 30 – 35 between Telcos and Technology
generic products. With the
% of their total revenues for the companies that are looking to
pandemic accelerating digital
year 2018-19. To improve the B2B provide more innovative solutions
transformation, Telcos are
revenue growth further, operators for monetizing software and
now focussing on enterprise
will have to make the right enterprise products. Thus, giving
businesses due to its immense
technological and strategic choices.1 rise to the Virtual Telco.
potential in generating additional
revenues and improving

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Connected Enterprises – A
Digital world of Endless
Possibilities
Partnering with enterprise
customers to seize B2B2X
opportunities is the next step
towards creating the best customer
experience and remain competitive
and relevant. To seize the B2B2X
opportunity, CSPs need to create
the right last-mile connectivity
with enterprise customers in order
to orchestrate an enterprise-wide
ecosystem. Joint workflows can be
put in place to engage and educate
customers, boost operational market can see a potential of $300 Build, Buy or Partner, for extending
efficiencies and in turn create a billion with an average CAGR B2B services and monetization
great customer experience. of 25% per sector by use of 5G prospects of the future.
network, emerging technologies
The pandemic over the last couple and upskilling2. Where, advanced
of years, has also highlighted the
To Build, Buy or Partner?
wireless technology of 5G and
need for all-present, secure and its use cases are the primary As innovation blurs sectoral lines
quality connectivity to maintain opportunity and disruption that and disrupts old business models,
operations remotely. This has industries need for leveraging B2B to retain a dominant position, CSPs
further increased the demand for and B2B2X business models. The will need a blended approach to
automation, virtual connectivity, use cases range from automated Digital Transformation with skilling
and remote management of vehicles and augmented reality, and enhancing internal capabilities
enterprise operations. While to crop awareness, smart cities, and cost efficiencies while also
Telcos shift their focus to their automated factories and other forming strategic alliances with
customers’ customers needs, adjacent market verticals. vendors and niche partner
the digital evolution seen in ecosystems services that enable
telecommunication companies To unlock the ‘Digital World of access to vital external capabilities
can prove to be a bedrock for Possibilities’ for the 5G Connected and reduce time to market for new
other industries to recover from Enterprise ecosystems CSPs have services. Enterprise customers will
the effects of the pandemic. The to enable long term, medium term benefit by avoiding multi-sourcing
Connected Enterprise global and short-term strategies, that strategies to meet their needs. The
rest on the question of whether to

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SPONSORED FEATURE

approach, that may best suit CSPs the different locations/offices of as challenges. With CSPs being
growth initiatives depends on some the Enterprise. used to sell connectivity and not
key factors like criticality of assets b) Unified communications, driven solutions or services, it is a better
or capabilities, reusability and by IP based systems alternative for them to look for
market uptake for similar offerings, external support through suppliers.
degree of market uncertainty, • P
 rovision of Machine 2 The capability of telcos to learn
desired speed of execution, level of Machine (M2M) capabilities through doing can help them make
control, or size of investment. via SIM cards for fleet this transition over time. It is better
management or metering to partner with secondary suppliers
utilities such as water, as they have the knowledge
I. From Telco to Techco – electricity etc.
CSP led Virtual Telco and understanding to integrate
• O
 ther VAS services such advanced technologies into
When industry dynamics are business processes and data layers
as bulk SMS/USSD, toll free
well understood, and an asset to sell the solutions across different
voice/SMS services
or capability is central to a well- industries.
defined strategy, an acquisition or CSPs can also explore a CSP-
internal development may serve as Vendor led Build, Operate and
Transfer model, where CSPs Omnichannel customer experience
the optimal growth path. Despite
inherent challenges for Telcos to become the core partner Omnichannel experience in
build their own products including for enterprises to co-create telecommunication is the approach
significant market uncertainty, customized products/solutions of making services seamlessly
large investment costs, prolonged and manage these products & available for the customers. It not
time to market, there are certain services post launch. This will only involves providing good user
proposed initiatives aligned to a ensure cost effectiveness for the interfaces across devices, but
CSP’s organization strategy that enterprises with shorter delivery also integrating various processes
will help drive innovation within time for new services, business across multiple channels and
their sphere of competence and continuity and low risk. This will offering solutions that provide
leverage existing assets and be a logical step for the CSPs to a ‘360 customer view’. The idea
customer relationships. Here CSPs transform themselves from being is to not let the customer feel
have a strategic advantage to own a telco to a techco, with a focus disconnected and provide a
their own revenue control points, in on customer centricity. consistent experience throughout
providing services such as: the complex customer journey. By
II. CSP Secondary Supplier converging business outcomes
a) ICT or connectivity solutions
to Enhance Customer with the customer user journey,
including leased line, dedicated
Experience telecom companies need to draw
internet and Multiprotocol Label
out a short, medium, and long-term
Switching (MPLS) – all aimed For telcos to buy software products technology landscape to leverage
at providing fixed and voice through secondary suppliers digital transformation and establish
connectivity flexibility between presents opportunities as well improved customer relationships.

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Business Journey – Enterprise E2E

The strategy will include data and As the nature of products Telemetry AI based tools for
analysis from various business and services can be complex, customer support
& cross-functions such as sales, transparency is of the utmost
AI based built-in metrics can
marketing, and logistics. importance, meaning enterprises
be used to manage operational
must be made aware of their
B2B must work on presenting a performance and business
subscriptions and the charges
seamless, interactive, and holistic scalability, by providing
against each of those subscriptions.
approach that provides buyers the intelligent data points to improve
This must be created in the CRM
opportunity to connect with the monetization. This automated
application and propagated to all
business in the way that suits them and communication process from
the customer touch points to create
Omnichannel customer experience will different data sources can help
a seamless experience.
address all devices, touch-points, and telecom industry improve customer
platforms that a customer will use at experience and monitor security
every step of the journey. Creating visibility to Enterprises and quality of performance. By
This approach helps B2B segment More than 60% of the CSPs have implementing solutions through
retain consistency in their highlighted that providing real- real-time analytics, telecom industry
messaging and brand—all the while time network, service & customer can leverage network events for
enhancing the customer experience visibility as their key technical actionable insights.
based on that collected insight challenge for increasing customer
experience. This can be mitigated Open APIs
by providing Enterprise self-
Customer value management Given the logical extension of
service application, that gives one
through customer-centric culture enterprises to explore 5G use cases
touch access to Enterprises to get
With ever increasing focus on for different verticals and personas,
an instant view of the submitted
convergent services, digital integrations are only going to
orders, manage their hierarchy,
CRM (Customer Relationship become much more complex in the
request for new products &
Management) and self-service future. Conformance to TM Forum
services and raise tickets. The
for enterprises becomes more defined Open APIs can make this
enterprise 360 view will also
important than ever. This ensures transition easier for CSPs and
ensure that sales and customer
that telcos can meet the customer reduce their integration cost, while
facing teams are always updated
demand through fast, efficient still enabling new use cases and
with the latest information
services. CRM makes it possible vertical integrations.
available and provide better
to solve customer issues, build experience
loyalty, and provides opportunities
to sell more services.

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SPONSORED FEATURE

III. Leveraging niche a monolithic approach focused about a new capability or a new
enterprise services through only on their own services and market space without devoting
partnerships capabilities, CSPs can prepare an outsized investment of time
to address enterprise demand in or capital. Leaving behind the
In situations, when there is
conjunction with an ecosystem traditional business models telcos
significant market uncertainty
of partners. In the latter case, will have to focus on tailored,
or where CSPs can make a shift
forming an alliance can create customer-specific/verticalized
from focussing only on their own
strategic optionality by allowing solutions, which will be co-created
capacities, instead of adopting
organizations to learn rapidly and delivered along with service

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SPONSORED FEATURE

providers, partners, and vendors. This CSP-Vendor enabled network services with connected capability,
The key drivers for the ecosystem can give CSPs an edge in realizing 5G cloud, edge computing, (AI)
led approach are 5G, IoT and Edge enterprise revenue growth by IoT connected facilities, integrating
Computing. allowing digital value chains host of connected enterprise apps
• ICT revenue enabled by 5G will to converge between digital critical for developing autonomous
reach $1.5tn by 2030, but only competitors and co-operators, vehicles, connected healthcare, and
$700bn will be accessible to 5G driving the growth of coopetition creating smart working solutions
operators models that are vital in empowering through end-to-end fulfillment
• Total IoT connections in 2023 will digitally connected communities across public and private networks.
be 3.2bn while continuing to redefine the As the CSPs focus on B2B segment
• 48.5m 5G loT connections by volatile partner landscape not to is increasing and the expected
2023, which will include 32% mention maximizing revenues, CAGR from B2B is projected to
surveillance cameras and 39% increasing operational efficiencies, grow from existing 3.5% to 6%,
connected cars and keeping costs under control. with 87% of CSPs pinning their
• 5G will add $8tn to global GDP Many industry partners are able revenue growth plans based on
in 2030 to offer end to end fulfillment 5G, it’s quintessential for CSP’s
To achieve goals like growing CSP for verticalized solutions, and to explore avenues to increase
core business, monetizing new CSPs can utilize this opportunity customer experience, by working
products, and generating more by providing their core product, closely with their enterprises either
revenue, telcos are turning to new i.e., 5G connectivity along with being a virtual telco/techco or co-
ecosystems with interconnected an array of services through an creating with a secondary supplier
services through vertical industries extended digital framework. CSPs or through strategic partnerships
that can fulfil a variety of consumer can now become anchors of 5G depending on the size of the
needs through vendor enabled ecosystems and include partnered enterprises.
integrated technology platforms. applications such as enterprise

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