As the telecom landscape shifts, operators must push beyond traditional connectivity and embrace new services to remain relevant and drive growth. STL Partners’ Consumer innovation tracker delivers in-depth insights into innovative digital services offered by telcos worldwide, spotlighting operators who are redefining the consumer experience and setting trends that can inspire the industry.
STL Partners’ Consumer innovation tracker
For telecom operators worldwide, it is essential to move beyond connectivity and venture into innovative services that can capture a larger share of consumers’ wallets. Our Consumer innovation tracker, first launched in September 2024 and updated in October, with monthly updates to follow, provides a detailed analysis of standout offerings from telcos worldwide, carefully selected by us. We recognise innovation in the form of service design, business model, partnerships or something completely different.
Our Consumer innovation tracker is designed to:
- Inspire operators and encourage them to look into new areas.
- Capture emerging trends to ensure operators are not left behind by their competitors.
- Provide insights for telcos’ partners into which operators are most innovative.
October 2024 highlights
The latest edition of the tracker highlights 103 examples of consumer innovation from 35 operators across the globe, with operators in Asia-Pacific standing out as leaders. This update introduces 14 new services, two in areas not previously included in the tracker: gaming and cybersecurity. The graphic below provides a full overview of the innovation areas covered in our tracker.
Areas of innovation
With each update we spotlight emerging trends and feature specific operators, along with standout consumer product and service launches that, in STL Partners’ view, excel in both innovation and potential impact.
1. KDDI’s immersive platform
What is it: KDDI, Pixelynx, and palan have joined forces to deliver an innovative extended reality (XR) music experience, combining platforms and tools. It allows users to create and remix music with XR content in real-time, using KDDI’s αU on Cloud for AI-powered live services, KORUS for music generation, and palanAR for WebAR content creation.
What makes it different: The platform integrates generative AI and cloud-based music tools, allowing users to interact with music in XR environments. Its no-code WebAR tool broadens accessibility, bringing a unique combination of music and visual experiences to consumers beyond typical platforms.
2. Dialog Axiata’s AI-health scanning feature
What is it: Integrated within Dialog Axiata’s telemedicine app, Doc990, this AI-powered health scanning feature enables users to monitor vital signs, such as heart rate and stress levels, directly from their smartphones, enhancing healthcare accessibility in Sri Lanka.
What makes it different: What sets it apart from other telco healthcare apps is its AI-powered health scanning feature which provides real-time health insights. By offering key health metrics on a smartphone, it simplifies essential health monitoring for users.
3. Yettel Bulgaria’s Profile Protect service
What is it: Yettel Bulgaria’s Profile Protect provides real-time alerts for potential data misuse, helping users safeguard their digital identities through proactive security measures.
What makes it different: Unlike standard data security services, Profile Protect focuses on alerting users instantly when personal data misuse is detected, allowing for rapid response and enhancing consumer control over digital security.
Consumer innovation drives the future of telcos
Consumer innovation is shaping the future of telecoms. By stepping into non-core areas, as illustrated above, telcos can tap into new revenue streams. With insights from the tracker, operators gain the tools to spot emerging trends, explore fresh business models, and forge partnerships that support these goals. Those telcos willing to take bold steps in innovation and broaden their service offerings will be the ones to set the pace for the industry’s future.
Find more details of the tracker here.
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Consumer insights pack
This document will provide you with a summary of our insights from our consumer services work
Telcos must take risks in consumer innovation
Operators must venture beyond traditional connectivity to stay ahead and unlock growth. This requires a willingness to take risks and accept that not every initiative will succeed—where failure is a vital part. STL Partners’ Consumer innovation tracker provides in-depth insights into the innovative services offered by telcos worldwide, highlighting operators who are reshaping the consumer experience and setting industry trends.
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