Telecom companies worldwide are stepping up their efforts to win over small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), according to a study by GlobalData, a data and analytics leader. This push aims to grab market share, boost revenue, and improve profitability.
“Historically, small businesses have been the engine of economic growth,” says Robert Pritchard, a leading analyst at GlobalData. “With companies re-shoring and safe-shoring operations, big corporations’ global ambitions are weakening. This is why telecom providers are focusing on national and regional markets.”
GlobalData’s SMB Watch report, which tracks trends in the SMB market, reveals a shift in telecom providers’ approach. They’re now selling solutions and outcomes, not just technology. Cybersecurity is a key area, and with the growing focus on sustainability, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative AI (GenAI) are becoming hot topics as companies of all sizes aim to cut greenhouse gasses.
“Telcos are changing their strategy to emphasize business results,” explains Pritchard. “They’re becoming more sophisticated in providing insights and support on challenges smaller businesses lack the internal expertise to handle. This could include building trust through customer examples and original research to interactive brainstorming sessions to uncover new opportunities.”
Pritchard concludes by highlighting the importance of infrastructure: “To offer valuable, high-margin, and long-lasting solutions, providers still need to invest in 5G and fiber networks. High upfront costs mean market consolidation continues mostly within countries to maximize returns. Networks may not be the main focus now, but they remain the foundation of everything.”