Wireless retail operators remain optimistic about business outlooks. Credit: Blue Planet Studio via Shutterstock.

Telecom solutions provider iQmetrix has surveyed telecom retailers to understand their outlook on the current market.

Respondents included top-tier telecom carriers, well-known wireless brands, authorised retailers of all sizes, wireless kiosk operators, cable/internet operators moving into wireless, and handset manufacturers.

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The survey finds that wireless retail operators remain optimistic about business outlooks, albeit with a little more caution than two years earlier. The respondents’ answers also proved that only by interconnecting the many disparate systems and players involved in telecom retail will businesses be able to thrive.

Key findings on business outlook

  • Nearly 59% of respondents predicted growth in device sales over the next three years
  • Almost 79% said smart home device sales will increase over the next three years
  • Over 68% said competition today is higher than three years ago
  • Over 59% cited continued economic uncertainty as their biggest challenge
  • Nearly 86% see the business opportunity in eSIM, although a third of those also see a threat
  • Nearly 46% have noticed a decline in smartphone demand over the past three years

Perspectives on new technologies for telecom retail

  • Close to 66% of respondents have implemented contactless payments, with most having kept them post-pandemic
  • More than 63% think it’s likely AI analytics of customer behaviour will increasingly shape retail strategies
  • Over 76% predict a greater focus on customer loyalty and rewards programs

iQmetrix vice president of product Trish Sale commented: “Ultimately, it is about the ability to pull together all those carrier and retailer systems seamlessly for a frictionless experience, being able to transact within wireless, and getting activation without having to swivel between systems.”

Telecom is a key trend within metaverse regulations, as demand for internet bandwidth will rise by several orders of magnitude from internet traffic levels today. This is almost certain to overload telecom networks unless they embark on significant broadband infrastructure investment programmes.