10 Big Realities for Telecom Companies

I’ve been doing quite a few presentations within the telecom sector. I still find a lot of senior management and staff don’t get the sheer depth of the massive change sweeping the industry. Here’s a list I’ve put together that outlines the reshaping of the industry — and which will mean that a good number of organizations in the industry today won’t exist tomorrow.

1. Everything commoditizes — and business plans require radical, instant surgery as a result
2. New competitors continue to emerge overnight — agility and flexibility are the keys to survival
3. Hyper-innovation means that you must plan for tomorrows’ market right now — and that market will last only six months at best — before being obsoleted by the next market advance
4. Rapidly evolving technology results in a battle for skills – those who can access specialized global telecom talent are the survivors
5. Telecom service offshores to Asia — new telco’s start to serve global customers at rock bottom prices — as offshore telecom takes hold as a real business model. Think mainstream carriers can compete?
6. Skype destroys telecom — not because of Skype-to-Skype calling — but due to Skype-to-PSTN
7. Yottabit capacity comes to telecom in quantity by 2007, further destroying margins and plans
8. Attitude transformation in existing mainline telecom’s becomes a key element for potential survival — those who realize that “we’re not in Kansas anymore” just might make it. Maybe.
9. Plan destruction — going forward by challenging all assumptions and eliminating habit — becomes more important than business planning.
10. Generational warfare reshapes the industry at a furious pace. Most telecom’s are managed by 40+ year olds. Kids are different, exist in a different world — and are redefining that world. Those who can tap their insight will be those who can excel.

on my keynotes in this area can be found here.