{"id":59437,"date":"2024-04-16T18:26:41","date_gmt":"2024-04-16T16:26:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/intellias.com\/?post_type=blog&p=59437"},"modified":"2024-07-22T02:33:08","modified_gmt":"2024-07-22T00:33:08","slug":"smart-capex-for-telecom-ai-powered-network-roi-optimization","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/intellias.com\/smart-capex-for-telecom-ai-powered-network-roi-optimization\/","title":{"rendered":"Smart CapEx for Telecom: AI-Powered Network ROI Optimization"},"content":{"rendered":"

As 5G ignites the next wave of telecommunications disruption, the need for seamless service delivery is increasing. To stay competitive in a changing market, telecom companies must keep investing in infrastructure and technology, including building new cell towers, upgrading networks, and laying new fiber-optic cables to support the growing demand for data.<\/p>\n

Significant investment in digital infrastructure requires solutions for accurate capital expenditure (CapEx) planning. The main challenge of smart CapEx, in turn, is to strike a balance between investing in new infrastructure and technology and controlling costs and improving profitability. Telecom companies must make informed decisions on network CapEx optimization and make suitable investments to ensure long-term benefits.
\n

\n\t\t\t
\"Mastering<\/div>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
Mastering Telecom Infrastructure<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
Cloud vs. Off-Cloud Strategies<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Download now <\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a><\/div><\/p>\n

The nature of telecom network CapEx<\/h2>\n

Telecom operators face an increasingly complex challenge when it comes to CapEx planning. Network expenditure is expected to rise significantly over the next decade as telcos deploy 5G<\/a> and edge cloud networks to improve both their consumer and enterprise offerings.<\/p>\n

Modernizing networks is challenging, especially when dealing with new disruptive forces. Pricing pressure is still an issue, and new concepts like private mobile networks could change the market. Also, the 5G era brings new regulatory requirements for network coverage and spectrum re-farming.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, telecom operators must balance the rollout of 5G with upgrades to existing LTE networks to improve network quality. All these factors mean the need for more capital, whose intensity is set to rise from 13.4% in 2019 to 15.9% in 2024.<\/p>\n

\"Smart<\/p>\n

Source: \u201cTelecoms CapEx forecast: Worldwide trends and forecasts,\u201d Analysis Mason, March 2019<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Telecom operators can overcome these challenges by adopting a smarter approach to CapEx planning. This involves realigning their people and workflows and integrating automation and artificial intelligence (AI)<\/a> into their network planning tools and processes. By doing so, operators can improve CapEx efficiency, the customer experience, and regulatory compliance.<\/p>\n

To achieve these goals, telcos must prioritize the quality of network investment and the role it creates in long-term value. This shift in mindset can lead to an improved return on invested capital (ROIC).<\/p>\n

Challenges of traditional CapEx planning<\/h2>\n

Traditional network planning involves assigning budgets and making expansion forecasts based on usage and performance guidance. Different teams handle different parts of the network, which can lead to competing priorities and confusion. This often results in suboptimal allocation of capital and tasks due to a lack of clear accountability. All of these challenges can affect telco CapEx optimization or the process of optimizing capital expenditures for telecommunications companies.<\/p>\n

Centralized control and oversight may not allow telecom operators be insufficient to keep up with changing network demands. Planning teams may not communicate effectively with other parts of the business, limiting the use of a holistic set of KPIs to inform planning activities. Apart from that, relying on multiple vendors and an aging technology stack can limit agility and responsiveness.<\/p>\n

\"Smart<\/p>\n

Source: Intelligent and agile: CapEx planning in the 5G era<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

To solve these problems, telecom companies need a better expense plan. Operators can improve CapEx efficiency, provide a better experience for customers, and satisfy regulators by realigning people and workflows and incorporating automation and artificial intelligence (AI) or even generative AI capabilities<\/span><\/a> into network planning tools and processes. This new approach requires prioritizing the quality of network investment and its contribution to long-term value creation, ultimately driving improvements in return on invested capital (ROIC).<\/p>\n

5G investment decisions for business success<\/h2>\n

To make informed decisions about 5G CapEx, telecom companies must gather and analyze large amounts of data from various sources, including network performance data, customer usage data, and market data. This requires a deep understanding of networks and customer needs. The solution is to use CapEx planning software that intelligently automates design and investment processes, incorporating advanced analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) algorithms.<\/p>\n

\"Smart<\/p>\n

Source: Infovista<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

CapEx software can help telecom companies to:<\/p>\n