Take the lead: become the AI-powered digital experience provider

Sandeep Sasikumar, Global Analytics Sales Leader at Nokia Cloud and Network Services

For ambitious telecom leaders, the future is bright. Customers are demanding more – instant gratification, flexible options and tailored experiences. They expect desired content to be readily available and services easily adaptable. This shift mirrors trends in the entertainment industry, where companies have revolutionised service delivery to satisfy this on-demand mentality. The telecom industry must follow suit, moving away from static bundles and embracing a more dynamic, service-driven approach.

This presents a golden opportunity for communications service providers (CSPs) to transform beyond the limitations of traditional “all-you-can-eat” plans and fixed pricing. The key to unlocking this potential lies in harnessing the exponential potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI (GenAI) and evolving to become digital experience providers.

The power of AI and next-generation connectivity

The convergence of AI and the 5G era is the driving force behind delivering personalised services in telecoms. AI-powered systems will enable real-time adjustments to network resources, creating dynamic business models with third-party partners. This means AI-powered experience providers can push services such as on-demand, high-viewership webcasts for businesses, instant gaming sessions for students or customised mapping applications that prioritise network connectivity. GenAI further propels this evolution by automating the development and maintenance of these diverse, dynamic services. In essence, 5G and GenAI empower telecom leaders to become architects of an entirely new way of delivering connectivity experiences.

Are CSPs ready to become digital experience providers?

While the potential is clear, many CSPs are not fully prepared today to transition to experience providers. The core challenge lies in data – the lifeblood of AI applications. Traditional data infrastructure within many CSPs is fragmented and siloed, hindering the creation of reliable insights. This lack of knowledge translates into slow response times, hindering efforts to meet customer demands and optimise network performance. Additionally, legacy reporting tools often deliver limited information, forcing reliance on manual analysis for critical troubleshooting.

The business implications are serious if CSPs can’t adapt. Dwindling revenues, strained margins and dissatisfied customers are already challenging industry players. Outdated data infrastructure further restricts the ability of operations and marketing teams to leverage AI for transformative solutions that drive revenue and user engagement.

The path forward: AI-powered solutions

The answer lies in embracing a data-centric approach. Data products built on a unified information model and a data mesh architecture can revolutionise data management within CSPs. AI and machine learning (ML) can then be used to analyse this data to identify network anomalies, generate prescriptive solutions and automate tasks such as report generation. This frees up valuable resources for network engineers, allowing them to focus on more complex issues.

Nokia’s approach

At Nokia, we understand the unique challenges that CSPs face. We possess a comprehensive software portfolio covering analytics, automation, monetisation and security. Leveraging our networking expertise alongside cutting-edge AI tools, we empower our customers to accelerate their journey towards AI-driven operations and business models. The results are clear: increased revenue, improved customer experience and reduced operational expenses.

Our solutions deliver tangible results. For instance, our prescriptive analytics applications boast over 90 per cent accuracy in detecting most network issues and can identify many performance degradation events a week in advance. Additionally, we’ve used network data to identify over 80 per cent of potential churners in fixed wireless access (FWA) services, enabling operators to address customer concerns and prevent churn.

The future

Over the next three to five years we will witness a deeper integration between the telecoms industry and enterprises. We can expect the emergence of bundled services that combine network access with specialised offerings tailored to specific customer needs. Furthermore, the rise of edge computing will bring consumer applications to the network’s periphery, delivering on-demand experiences based on user needs rather than predetermined subscriptions.

By embracing AI and GenAI, CSPs will evolve into digital experience providers to deliver personalised connectivity in a future where customer needs are met instantly, services adapt seamlessly and the network becomes an enabler for entirely new experiences.

Click here to discover more about Nokia’s AI software and solutions