Originally Published on: Quantzig|Big Data Challenges Troubling Managers in the Telecom Industry

Evolution and Challenges in Telecom

Amidst the transformative wave of technological advancements, including 4G, 5G, and IoT integration, the telecom industry navigates a complex landscape. Despite technological strides, challenges persist, particularly with declining revenues from traditional voice services. The industry sets ambitious growth targets, aiming for an estimated 5.6 billion global subscribers. However, the monumental task of managing vast volumes of data from billions of customers and operational sources looms large.

Big Data Challenges in Telecom

High Capital Expenditure

The surge in data consumption, eclipsing voice services, poses a substantial financial challenge for the telecom sector. The shift towards data-centric services like WhatsApp and Skype necessitates significant infrastructure investments to meet growing data traffic and bandwidth demands. Strategic prioritization of cost efficiency is crucial, directing investments towards infrastructure capable of supporting extensive big data analytics.

Network Analytics

Optimizing network efficiency through data-driven insights is pivotal for the telecom industry. Network monitoring products play a crucial role by collecting and analyzing data, providing actionable insights for optimization. However, applying advanced analytics to network data introduces significant challenges, involving procedural and political issues in efficient data sharing among stakeholders and managing collaborations with vendors.

Data Storage Dilemmas

With a global subscriber base approaching 5 million in 2016, coupled with the surge in 3G and 4G subscriptions, data generation in the telecom sector grows exponentially. Effectively managing and storing this escalating data volume becomes a formidable challenge. Telecom companies need to adopt automated data migration strategies and implement tiered storage data management to mitigate the cost implications of handling vast amounts of data.

Integrating IoT

Embracing the world of IoT poses a novel challenge for telecom companies. Juggling diverse IoT devices, from refrigerators to sound systems, demands strategic solutions. Collaboration with leading IoT-driven entities such as IBM, GE, Deloitte, and Intel becomes imperative, guiding telecom operators towards successful partnerships and effective management of IoT-related big data challenges.

Discover how big data analytics can enhance your business competitiveness. Contact us today.