The path to telco growth: STL Partners’ manifesto
Telecom operators want to become techcos, but they need to keep being telcos too. Telecom techcos will be best positioned to find growth in the Coordination Age, but the path is not easy…
Telecom operators want to become techcos, but they need to keep being telcos too. Telecom techcos will be best positioned to find growth in the Coordination Age, but the path is not easy…
With quantum technologies touching on many areas of telco business, it can be unclear where telcos should make early investments. However, there are some common priorities for telcos – and by considering a small number of strategic perspectives, decisions on next steps can be made.

Major advancements in artificial intelligence are increasing telco stakeholder expectations. This report assesses where telcos are on their AI adoption journeys and provides recommendations for how they can accelerate their progress.
Telcos must take steps internally to become companies underpinned by AI. We look at implications for the organisation, its people and AI governance processes and tools to responsibly root this transition.
Case studies of telcos adopting infraco, servco, or telecom techco models, how they achieved this, and what lessons can be learnt.
Partnering offers telcos a way to unlock innovation and uncover monetisation opportunities to help fuel business growth. However, this requires telcos to embrace a different approach to partnering strategy and a more open, trusting mindset.