TeBIT 2024 EXECUTIVE REPORT

AI Makes Telcos Smart. But Are Telcos Smart About AI?

Ask a telecom company the big questions—how do you spark growth, boost efficiency, or improve customer satisfaction—and chances are, AI is their go-to answer. And increasingly, artificial intelligence, including generative AI (GenAI), has become telcos’ answer to other questions.

That’s the beauty of AI: It’s a multi-purpose enabler. But are telcos truly poised to unleash the technology? Are they making the investments, developing the strategies, and reaching the maturity levels that will let them take AI in new directions? Findings from this year’s telco IT benchmark (TeBIT) study, jointly developed by ETIS—The Community for Telecom Professionals—and Boston Consulting Group, raise concerns that operators may not be realizing, or be poised to realize, the full value of AI and GenAI.

About the TeBIT 2024 Benchmark

TeBIT, a survey of European operators’ IT spending and performance, was completed in the fall of 2024 and reflects their 2023 financials and operations. The study sheds light on how participants are adapting to new trends and challenges—and zeros in on where telcos may want to focus their efforts. Each year, TeBIT takes a deep dive into a topic of particular interest to telcos. In previous reports, we’ve looked at sustainability and process efficiency, the role of cloud services, and the impact of COVID-19 on operators, among other areas.

Collaboration is a key component of TeBIT. The survey’s goal—like that of ETIS working groups and community gatherings—is to identify, and even shape, the best practices that can help telcos better serve customers in a rapidly changing world. In return for allowing their organizations to be compared with other telcos, TeBIT participants can access a full set of benchmark results along with further trend analysis.

Participation in TeBIT benchmark is free of charge for European Telecom Operators within the ETIS network or those participating in TeBIT for the first time! For application, please reach out to us at wdm@etis.org & ap@etis.org, who oversee the TeBIT program.

-- ETIS Central Office