Internet telecoms operators have to constantly challenge themselves. Traditional offerings are regularly challenged by disruptive technologies, as well as growing competition from bypass services (OTT) such as WhatsApp, Skype, Apple, Google and Viber, to name but a few. For example, augmented and virtual reality are beginning to emerge as potential growth paths, with around 10% of consumers already owning a virtual reality headset, according to a Deloitte study.

If service providers and other ITSPs have to get used to the possibilities offered by new technologies and the cloud, how can they compete effectively in such an environment? Now more than ever, telecoms operators need to rethink their business strategies, and restructure their offerings, architectures and networks to harness the agility of the cloud.

These changes should enable telecom operators to ride the wave of digital transformation, and exploit it to generate new sources of revenue. Here are three points to help structure this transformation.

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Evolve offerings with a more agile digital communications infrastructure

The way people communicate is changing every day. With 21 billion connected devices expected by 2020, the IoT is now ubiquitous. To absorb the impact of its development, telecoms operators need to consider incredibly high connectivity requirements. However, if operators intend to expand into new areas, they also have an obligation to continue updating and maintaining legacy IT systems and their current offerings. A convergent platform capable of managing existing terminals on a large scale, designed to streamline corporate communications and improve customer service, is one of the keys to overcoming these challenges.

That's where unified communications (UC) comes in. Upgrading a telephony offering to a new UC solution can represent a significant revenue growth opportunity. It offers a single-number telephone communications service that converges cell phones with office phones, softphones and other SIP terminals, giving businesses greater mobility, flexibility and productivity.

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Anticipating and taking into account changes in usage

The growing use of mobile services and applications is changing behavior and usage patterns. The telecoms ecosystem recognizes that smartphones are now fuelling the main engine of growth. Traditional communication solutions are being replaced by more modern and flexible ones, including messaging services (IM) and Internet telephony (VoIP). In addition, the boom in teleworking triggered by the COVID-19 health crisis has given rise to new requirements in terms of connectivity and security. Mobility and collaboration are now the watchwords. Any unified communications offering must meet these requirements. Consequently, the capacity of the operator platform must be scalable, able to integrate with existing infrastructures and terminals, and enable users to be managed centrally.

For telecom operators, it's essential to choose a partner with a comprehensive, feature-rich offering that can be customized to meet their customers' needs. To establish a long-term relationship, the supplier must also master the entire solution, and provide operational support to enable operators to meet their service level agreements (SLAs).

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Offer a unique user experience

Today's users need to manage multiple applications and communication services on multiple terminals (computers, smartphones, tablets...). Telecoms operators can add value to their offering by providing a solution with which users can communicate seamlessly, with the equipment of their choice, using an intuitive interface. By facilitating access to a UC experience integrating voice and video calls, messaging, conferencing and collaboration, customer experience and brand value can be enhanced.

To differentiate their offerings and stand out from the competition, telecom operators can also offer mobility solutions and customized softphones. Customizable elements can include default settings, language, product name, domain name, proxy name, URL and graphic design. Personalization can not only provide a competitive edge, but also help build customer loyalty, increase brand recognition and, ultimately, deliver a consistent user experience across all platforms.