Telcos recast as Al-driven full-stack digital platforms

TSPs in India are expanding beyond connectivity, bundling cloud, OTT and analytics to deepen user engagement, strengthen retention and lift revenue metrics.

- BY PEEYUSH VAISH

Telecom operators (telcos) in India are moving beyond connectivity and repositioning themselves as Already digital platforms, intensifying competition not only within the sector but also with hyperscalers and IT services firms in managed AI, data and security.

A major telecom company in India has announced what it describes as the world's first Gen-AI collaboration, offering bundled benefits to eligible customers. At the same time, another operator is pursuing a data-driven freemium strategy built around its own cloud and AI services, curated OTT content—particularly live sports—and 5G expansion to deepen engagement across digital touchpoints.

The telecom market in India, long characterised as an oligopoly, is undergoing strategic realignment. As operators embed themselves more deeply in consumers' digital lives, the emphasis on voice and data tariffs is diminishing. In its place is a broader portfolio of digital products and services designed to extend customer relationships beyond basic connectivity.

Investor confidence signals belief that telecom networks can distribute, scale and monetise Al, cloud and data services beyond connectivity.

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