The Role of R&D in Building the Next-Gen Telco

Research and Development in telco is about more than engineering, it’s about futureproofing. As technologies converge (cloud, AI, XR, blockchain), telcos must move from reactive upgrades to proactive innovation.

R&D can fuel service innovation, from bundled offerings and edge services to cloud-native solutions and enterprise connectivity platforms.

However, successful R&D must be market-informed.Without understanding user behavior, pain points, and emerging demands, even advanced prototypes risk irrelevance.

Cross-disciplinary R&D, combining technical expertise with behavioral science, market research, and design thinking, is the way forward.