Networks for AI: Segmenting the growth
AI will create large potential opportunities for telcos in connectivity and use case enablement. But telcos must manage expectations and prioritise their investments carefully.
AI will create large potential opportunities for telcos in connectivity and use case enablement. But telcos must manage expectations and prioritise their investments carefully.

This report assesses the impacts of delays in data centre construction on operational financial metrics, budget and internal rate of return, and examines the role of effective reporting in ensuring on-time delivery.

It was no surprise that AI dominated MWC this year. But there were lots of other notable trends on the rise – including cybersecurity and data centres – and some that were disappointingly overlooked. Find out what the STL Partners team saw and missed at MWC 2025.
Trusted intelligence is crucial for operators in progressing to Level 4+
autonomous networks. This research explores the role of digital twins, agentic AI and operator knowledge in achieving trusted intelligence.
As the deployment of AI/ML ramps up, telcos need to develop an ‘intelligence architecture’, supporting the move towards Level 4 and 5 in the TM Forum’s Autonomous Network Framework. How will such an intelligent architecture support the self-healing network?
As AI’s energy consumption rises, so do sustainability concerns. This report explores why this technology is so power-intensive, how to mitigate its impact and whether it can help reduce emissions. It also examines four possible scenarios for future energy consumption – from unchecked growth to greater efficiency – and their sustainability implications.
Will artificial intelligence, immersive services, automated transportation and robotics drive a substantial increase in telecom traffic between now and 2032?
In light of the fast-evolving climate surrounding edge AI, we take stock of the upside and the downside risks that may move the needle on our recent Edge AI market forecast.
The huge wave of AI has accelerated demand for cloud, but it has also triggered questions on whether deploying in centralised environments is always suitable, or if enterprises should instead consider the edge. Our edge AI forecast identifies the value of this opportunity, pointing to the use cases and the verticals that are driving growth, and determining the extent to which AI will stimulate more revenue at the edge.
Telcos are pursuing a telecom techco vision to renew business models. This report explores how network cloud, automation and AI accelerate this transformation, with insights on scaling these technologies, impactful AI/automation use cases and the advantages of open source.
In this report, we update our model of the financial value of adding AI, analytics and automation (A3) into a telco’s processes. This report focuses on the impact A3 can have in the BSS, channels, marketing and sales, and has a particular focus on the impact of new GenAI capabilities in these areas.
Edge computing is a key enabling technology for AI and GenAI applications, providing the local processing power and low-latency connectivity needed for real-time decision-making and data processing. This report looks at the trends in investments in edge computing companies – from edge data centres to platforms and applications – and the market outlook for 2025.
Enterprises want on-demand, highly performant connectivity services – and service providers are embracing NaaS delivery and commercial models to meet these expectations. This report provides a case study of disruption in the Indian market by NaaS provider Lightstorm.
Real-time automation is transforming the transport and logistics sector – and growth in demand for enabling technologies such as edge, AI and IoT is expected to be faster than in any other vertical. In this report, we outline strategies geared towards enabling ecosystem players to capitalise on the opportunity by addressing critical challenges and opportunities.
Our latest iteration of the Network edge data centre forecast shows that deployments are gradually bringing this market to life, despite the first early exits happening in 2024. What impact will 5G SA, data regulation and AI have on development of the network edge landscape?
There is much debate in the industry on the topic of telco edge computing, but little clarity for players within the telecom industry and potential customers on how much capacity will be available.
In this report, we provide insights from our annual industry survey on the state of network edge, including the key triggers for deployments.
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…