MWC2019 was a “reality check” for telcos

MWC 2019 demonstrated the mobile industry knows it needs to change and without that change and a massive recalibration of its fundamental business model and modus operandi, it will become obfuscated, according to ABI Research.

“MWC 2019 could best be characterized as displaying an anxiety borne from an industry suffering from a combination of split personality disorder and ADHD,” wrote Stuart Carlaw, Chief Research Officer at ABI Research, in the firm’s post-conference whitepaper: A Reality Check from Mobile World Congress 2019.

One half of the industry encompasses an emerging band of technology companies that are addressing some pressing industry-centric issues with real-world solutions based on direct vertical market customer need.

“The other half of the industry is made up of a carrier community that is moving at the same pace as the Titanic attempting to turn and avoid the iceberg. Too slow and too late,” added Carlaw.

ABI Research had seven analysts at MWC 2019, which was held in Barcelona, Spain, between Feb. 25-28, 2019. The analysts focused on the following compelling transformative technologies:

• 5G & Mobile Network Infrastructure
• Digital Security
• M2M, IoT & IoE
• Smart Cities & Smart Spaces
• Smart Mobility and Automotive
• Smartphones and Wearables

Some of the analysts’ conclusions about 5G and mobile network infrastructure from the whitepaper include:

• Mobile Service Providers (MSPs) are becoming more rational in discussing what 5G can and cannot do. And, are realizing that 5G will be a slow affair.
• Telcos and their partners will first use 5G to target the consumer market as that is the area where telcos have the know-how, reach, and experience.
• Private LTE is slowly getting momentum in a market where 5G takes all the headlines. MSPs and network vendors already have well-tested and reliable technologies that can be used to deliver solutions in the enterprise space.
• A new trend is emerging in the convergence of MSPs and cloud giants as the two categories need each other. This is part of the wider discussion around edge computing, network cloudification, and the role of 5G in creating new applications and supporting the growth of vertical markets.