Future Telecoms Operator Business Models (Telco Vendor Survey)

Take the survey & support Télécoms Sans Frontières

Thank you for agreeing to take part in our Future of the telecoms business survey which will support multiple TM Forum research reports to be published between May and December.

The survey explores the visions and expectations of senior telecoms executives with regards new lines of business and business models. While communications service providers (CSPs) offer the same core services, they are taking different approaches to diversification. We are seeking to understand these differences, specifically how CSPs are approaching the Internet of Things and 5G. Are they aligning their organizations for success in these areas? Do they know precisely what parts of the value chain they wish to occupy and the associated business model? And are they building IT and network capabilities that are consistent with this vision?

Please note that survey results will only be presented in aggregate, and individual responses will be kept strictly confidential and anonymous. If you are interested in participating in a follow-up interview with the author, you will have an opportunity to indicate this at the end of the survey.

Help Télécoms Sans Frontières - TM Forum will donate $5 to Télécoms Sans Frontières for every completed survey (up to a maximum value of $1,000). Télécoms Sans Frontières is the leading international NGO specialising in technology and telecommunications for humanitarian crises. Find out more.

Thank you for your contribution to this important survey and for helping support Télécoms Sans Frontières.

Mark Newman
Chief Analyst, TM Forum

Question Title

* 1. Please indicate your company’s primary line of business (choose one).

Telecoms network vendor

Software (BSS/OSS) vendor

Systems Integrator

Cloud services / solutions provider

Consultant

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 2. What should telecoms operators aspire to become as part of their digital transformation programs (choose one)?

Best-in-class connectivity providers

Multi-play (fixed, mobile, TV, broadband) operators and service providers

Full digital service providers offering a range of E2E digital services, sometimes in competition with players such as Google and Apple

Platform providers working with partners to bring your services to market

Question Title

* 3. What are your expectations for the global telecoms industry over the next 2-3 years (choose one)?

A slow, gradual stagnation in revenues (and profitability) as competition and regulation continue to bite

Flat revenues with revenues from data and TV services compensating for declines in voice revenues

Gently increasing revenues as CSPs roll out TV services and make promising entries into the IoT/ICT services business

Solid revenue growth off the back of expansion into TV, IoT and ICT services

Question Title

* 4. When you consider platform business models, which of the following visions align most closely with your telecoms operator customers?

	Agree	Neither agree nor disagree	Disagree
Senior management doesn't really know what a platform business is or how it relates to their business	Senior management doesn't really know what a platform business is or how it relates to their business Agree	Senior management doesn't really know what a platform business is or how it relates to their business Neither agree nor disagree	Senior management doesn't really know what a platform business is or how it relates to their business Disagree
Telecoms operators are experimenting with platform business models, but this is only really for new lines of business and there is no real expectation that it will become a major line of business for them	Telecoms operators are experimenting with platform business models, but this is only really for new lines of business and there is no real expectation that it will become a major line of business for them Agree	Telecoms operators are experimenting with platform business models, but this is only really for new lines of business and there is no real expectation that it will become a major line of business for them Neither agree nor disagree	Telecoms operators are experimenting with platform business models, but this is only really for new lines of business and there is no real expectation that it will become a major line of business for them Disagree
They are building their IT and network systems with an expectation that, in the medium to long term, they will support platform business models	They are building their IT and network systems with an expectation that, in the medium to long term, they will support platform business models Agree	They are building their IT and network systems with an expectation that, in the medium to long term, they will support platform business models Neither agree nor disagree	They are building their IT and network systems with an expectation that, in the medium to long term, they will support platform business models Disagree

Question Title

* 5. When assessing the potential of 5G, how much impact will the following new services have on the telecoms operator business?

	Big short-term and long-term impact	Big long-term impact	Little impact on our business in the short or long term
Private networks for the B2B market enabled by network slicing	Private networks for the B2B market enabled by network slicing Big short-term and long-term impact	Private networks for the B2B market enabled by network slicing Big long-term impact	Private networks for the B2B market enabled by network slicing Little impact on our business in the short or long term
IoT	IoT Big short-term and long-term impact	IoT Big long-term impact	IoT Little impact on our business in the short or long term
Fixed wireless access	Fixed wireless access Big short-term and long-term impact	Fixed wireless access Big long-term impact	Fixed wireless access Little impact on our business in the short or long term
Enhanced mobile broadband services enabling the launch of unlimited mobile data price plans	Enhanced mobile broadband services enabling the launch of unlimited mobile data price plans Big short-term and long-term impact	Enhanced mobile broadband services enabling the launch of unlimited mobile data price plans Big long-term impact	Enhanced mobile broadband services enabling the launch of unlimited mobile data price plans Little impact on our business in the short or long term
Virtual and enhanced reality services	Virtual and enhanced reality services Big short-term and long-term impact	Virtual and enhanced reality services Big long-term impact	Virtual and enhanced reality services Little impact on our business in the short or long term

Question Title

* 6. Rather than buying 5G services from licensed operators, enterprises could operate their own 5G networks. To what extent do you agree with the following statements about 5G in the enterprise market?

	Agree	Neither agree nor disagree	Disgree
Some enterprises, particulaly those with large campuses, will buy 5G networks directly from network vendors.	Some enterprises, particulaly those with large campuses, will buy 5G networks directly from network vendors. Agree	Some enterprises, particulaly those with large campuses, will buy 5G networks directly from network vendors. Neither agree nor disagree	Some enterprises, particulaly those with large campuses, will buy 5G networks directly from network vendors. Disgree
Private 5G networks will become an important new line of business for mobile operators	Private 5G networks will become an important new line of business for mobile operators Agree	Private 5G networks will become an important new line of business for mobile operators Neither agree nor disagree	Private 5G networks will become an important new line of business for mobile operators Disgree
Network slicing will allow mobile operators to provide dedicated network and service capabilities to individual enterprises	Network slicing will allow mobile operators to provide dedicated network and service capabilities to individual enterprises Agree	Network slicing will allow mobile operators to provide dedicated network and service capabilities to individual enterprises Neither agree nor disagree	Network slicing will allow mobile operators to provide dedicated network and service capabilities to individual enterprises Disgree
5G will complement rather than compete with WiFi in the enterprise market	5G will complement rather than compete with WiFi in the enterprise market Agree	5G will complement rather than compete with WiFi in the enterprise market Neither agree nor disagree	5G will complement rather than compete with WiFi in the enterprise market Disgree
5G will emerge as a competitor to WiFi in the enterprise market	5G will emerge as a competitor to WiFi in the enterprise market Agree	5G will emerge as a competitor to WiFi in the enterprise market Neither agree nor disagree	5G will emerge as a competitor to WiFi in the enterprise market Disgree

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