Research

Defining the future telco — and what it means for operators and their partners


Analysing edge computing M&A trends

This report summarises the value and trends of M&A deals related to edge computing, covering the time period of the last four years. The report highlights key deals and company spotlights, as well as providing insights into the expected M&A activity over the next year.

Edge computing market sizing forecast: Third release

Our report forecasts $462bn in global demand for edge computing services in 2030. We explore the global demand for on-prem, network, and regional edge represented by 20 use cases and 16 verticals. The forecast helps telcos and other edge providers to identify which areas of the market and the value chain are most suitable for them to capture.

Creating consumer value with smart Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is central to the value proposition of home connectivity, but can hamper good broadband experience. Smart Wi-Fi services can address consumer pain points, and build new value by enabling a suite of advanced services and establishing a stronger telco presence in the connected home.

Multivendor telco cloud: Mapping the pathway to success

As operators embark on their telco cloud journeys, what should they look out for and what lessons can they learn from others? This report analyses the strategies and progress of four operators leading the way in telco cloud transformation and sheds light on the lessons learned from their initial deployments.

Automation: Reaching full potential

The maturity of telco automations in the network OSS and BSS varies significantly. Some telcos are reporting significant headcount reductions from mature automations while others are still in the early stages of simple automation deployments. There are important steps telcos must consider if they are to reach maximum automation.

Utilities

Utilities: The role of private 4G/5G

The utilities sector is a promising opportunity area for private LTE and 5G networks. But it is not an easy one for telcos to address, as utility companies often deploy and manage networking technology in-house or via specialist service providers to satisfy service requirements. This report examines the sector realities.

Network edge data centre forecast: The rise of the non-telco

There is much debate in the industry on the topic of edge computing, but little clarity for vendors and potential customers on how much capacity will be available. STL Partners’ Network Edge Data Centre Forecast estimates the number of network edge data centres and their capacity from 2021-2027. We also breakdown who will operate these sites: telcos, hyperscalers or other third parties.

Five ways to get open RAN deployment back on track

The first commercial deployments of open RAN networks have been announced. But operators are unsure whether to deploy quickly for first-mover advantage or play it safe and wait for more proof points. We explore the causes of open RAN inertia and how operators can get deployments back on track.

Edge AI – How AI is sparking the adoption of edge computing

AI applications will require low-latency, local compute for rapid inferencing and large scale data collection, triage, and engineering. Edge compute will therefore play a key role in AI app delivery. However it’s not just about infrastructure – commercial scale for edge AI will depend on effective ecosystem collaboration models.

Telco edge manifesto

Since 2015 STL Partners has helped telecoms operators to develop their edge computing strategies. We summarise our learnings from those engagements as a manifesto for how the industry can address the edge computing opportunity.

Want access to our research?

Our research focuses on how telcos and their partners can embrace industry disruption.

Learn more