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The starting point for the telcos in this respect is good . Thanks to their large customer base and comprehensive , often highly reliable network infrastructure , they are well positioned to implement platforms and make them successful .
Identifying the right platforms and investing in new platforms and thereby getting into new industries improves the user experience .
Top executive , Technology , AT & T , USA
But this also requires the capacity to innovate digitally . The telcos must be close to both the market and customers ’ needs , must develop and test digital approaches , and must either discard them or continue to refine them iteratively – all while working in close collaboration with potential partners . The established structures of many telcos are currently not designed for such an approach , and often enough the requisite flexible structures and methods must first be introduced and established in a company . One avenue in this direction is to collaborate with and integrate innovative start-ups . Many telcos are already investing in such entities through corporate venturing or incubators , or are promoting the associated practices in their own innovation hubs . It remains a challenge , however , to integrate the ideas , business models , and culture of the start-ups and innovation hubs into the entirety of a telecommunications company .
The same applies to open and collaborative innovation in the context of platforms . Open interfaces and joint standards are the basis for successful platform models and accelerate the dissemination of innovations , yet they also require telcos to abandon long-standing business practices , to become more transparent and to open up .
By 2022 , B2B partnerships and particularly platforms will become increasingly important for telcos . The telcos ’ advantageous starting position in this respect will help them successfully reinvent their business and revenue models . However , they will also have to deal with a fundamental shift in their approach . ||
Scenario 2020 :
Content & entertainment
Start binge watching the new season of a series in the living room and continue on the train ? Have customized news sent to your smartphone ? Quickly check traffic reports before going for a drive ? The customers of a telco company can do all of that now through a centralized dashboard that their provider makes available to them in accordance with their interests and needs . This is because the provider makes proprietary content formats available , buys others through partnerships with media companies and integrates OTT services seamlessly into its own offerings .
Accordingly , the customer ’ s invoice no longer specifies data packages , not to mention voice minutes or individual text messages . The customer buys a content and entertainment package instead – from premium offers with the ability to select from among hundreds of content channels including cloud photo archiving and blazing fast down- and uploads , all the way to economical yet limited options for students . The advantage for the customer ? As the telco provider is the general contractor for the customer in all matters related to content & entertainment , it also has an overview of all of the costs . At the same time , the offer is extremely attractive , because it is tailored to the customer ’ s preferences .