Anku Jain, Managing Director, MediaTek India
“As intelligence takes center stage in technology innovations, the importance of chipsets becomes even more significant. From smartphones, smart homes, satellite connectivity, Generative AI, advanced 5G solutions across 5G FWA, and automotive connectivity to transformative technologies like AI and 5G, MediaTek has laid the foundation for a smarter and more connected world. We believe technologies like Agentic AI, Generative AI, advanced LLMs, and cloud computing have led to a tectonic shift in the industry. India is leading the AI adoption, surpassing the global average, projected to reach $17 billion by 2027. At MediaTek, we are well-positioned to integrate edge AI processing into our diverse product ecosystem. Our 8th-generation NPU in the flagship MediaTek Dimensity 9400 sets the benchmark for existing AI activities and supports AI agents. We are also focusing on bringing our advanced AI capabilities to the next generation of vehicles with the latest MediaTek Dimensity Auto Cockpit chipsets designed for the AI cockpit of the future.”
Agendra Kumar, Managing Director, Esri India
“Building a sizable AI computational capability and leveraging GIS for reforms and actions in the management of urban and rural land have been the key highlights of 2024 from the technology perspective. The country’s desire to be recognized as an all-around leader is the inspiration that is driving new research and applications of GIS and remote sensing data. Conducive policies have made it possible for the private sector to adopt location based analytics and data driven decision-making in sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, retail and financial services. Going forward we are looking at higher integration of GIS with new-age technologies such as AI, IoT, AR & VR, and Enterprise IT systems. Other trends like location-focused platform-as-a-service (PaaS), low-code and no-code platforms, 3D GIS, advanced imagery solutions, and digital twins will transform the way geospatial technologies are being consumed and used for developing advanced solutions for industries and masses alike.”
Sachin Saraf, EVP & Chief Operating Officer-DigiTech, Comviva
“As digital transformation continues to accelerate, the telecom industry is evolving to meet the demands of increasingly connected consumers. As 5G technology converges with Generative AI, BSS functionalities are being rewired to allow telecom operators to better serve their customers, optimize their operations, and unlock new streams of revenue. According to an IMARC study, the global market for OSS and BSS is expected to reach USD 142.9 billion by 2032, with a growth rate (CAGR) of 9.8% during 2024-2032 from the market size of USD 59.9 billion in 2023. The convergence of 5G and GenAI is not just a technological upgrade but a strategic imperative. By adopting GenAI-enabled SMART (Self-Monitoring, Adaptive, Real-Time and Transformative) capabilities and leveraging the power of 5G, CSPs have the potential to transform BSS from reactively driven systems into proactive engines for growth. Be it enabling seamless live sports streaming or driving customer engagement through personalized experiences, the marriage of these technologies is revolutionizing the realm of telecom. They lead the charge with innovative GenAI-powered BSS solutions that enable telecom operators to stay ahead of the curve. And more often at the head of the queue, 5G and GenAI promise the future of BSS is one of leading instead of merely keeping up-new benchmarks in both customer experience and operational excellence.”
Matthew Foxton, India Regional President & Executive Vice-President, Branding & Communications, IDEMIA Group
“2024 marked a transformative year for both payment and connectivity, as the rapid growth of 5G, IoT, and digital payments unlocked new opportunities for seamless, secure transactions. At IDEMIA Secure Transactions (IST), we are at the forefront of these shifts. As 5G and IoT drive unprecedented data exchange across devices, we prioritize protecting digital identities and privacy. In payments, our leadership in card issuance, digital services, and fraud reduction through encryption and EMV migration continues to shape the future. As we look to 2025, cryptography, tokenization, and biometric authentication will drive further innovation, while the rise of embedded payments, connected devices, and hyper-connectivity, particularly in the automotive sector, will create smarter, faster, and more secure transaction ecosystems. IST is committed to enabling the future of payments and connectivity, creating a unified and resilient global standard infrastructure.”
Ganesh Gopalan, Co-Founder and CEO, Gnani.ai
“2024 marked a pivotal year for generative AI, elevating it into a transformative force that redefined industries, from customer service to creative innovations. The year witnessed an exhilarating surge in AI-driven innovations, unlocking unparalleled advancements in efficiency, personalization, and automation. As we look into 2025, the widespread adoption of Small Language Models (SLMs) and Speech-to-Speech Large Language Models (LLMs) is poised to revolutionize sectors like customer support, healthcare, BFSI, automotive, and telecom. These technologies promise to deliver exceptionally precise, low-latency solutions tailored to specialized linguistic demands, with SLMs providing unmatched accuracy for niche tasks and Speech-to-Speech LLMs enabling seamless, real-time multilingual communication. Additionally, Agentic AI, which autonomously adapts and learns, empowers businesses with proactive decision-making and operational intelligence. As these models advance, they are primed to reshape the landscape of Gen AI, fostering a new era of intuitive, efficient, and deeply personalized interactions across the globe.”
Puru Rastogi, Co-founder & CEO, Mowito
“With a focus on precision, adaptability, and innovation, AI and robotics technologies will set new benchmarks, enabling real-time decision-making, predictive maintenance, and smarter robots. By enhancing productivity, reducing manual labor, and fostering safer workplaces, AI-driven automation will propel scalable growth and industrial prosperity. As India’s industrial landscape evolves, AI and robotics will empower dynamic supply chains, equipping workers with groundbreaking tools and shaping a future-ready, competitive ecosystem. The future is clear—2025 will herald a new era of agility and innovation.”
Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar, Director General, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI)
“Indian telecom industry has embarked on an exciting journey in recent years, serving as a catalyst for the country’s socioeconomic growth. Owning a massive 1.2 billion telecom subscriber base, the average monthly data consumption per wireless data subscriber has touched 21.30 GB by October 2024. As of October 2024, over 4,60,592 5G BTS sites were installed, leading to a surge in the 5G user base, which crossed 125 million and is projected to reach 350 million by 2026. Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) emerged as a key 5G use case in India, with connections reaching nearly 3 million within a year of launch. As a major contributor to the GDP, the sector is providing employment opportunities for over 4 million people, directly and indirectly.
Key Growth Areas: AI and 6G
The rapid pace of digital innovations in telecom is evident from the massive adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and GenAI technologies across areas like customer service, operational support, network optimisation and automation, predictive maintenance, fraud prevention and so on. According to KPMG India, 55% of the organisations in Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) sectors in India have fully integrated AI, with 37% in the scaling phase.
India is now poised to lead the global race towards 6G, with an exciting opportunity to drive technological leadership. With the on-going efforts like the Bharat 6G Vision, the government aims to create 10% of 6G patents from India and is evaluating 470 proposals on ‘Accelerated research on 6G Ecosystem’. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has also funded two next-generation testbeds for advance 6G research.
Challenges Impeding the Growth
Despite the promising advancements, the telecom industry faces several critical challenges, which disrupt the sustainable growth of the ecosystem.
Fair share contribution from Large Traffic Generators (LTGs): The massive traffic created by LTGs has significantly strained telecom networks, compelling TSPs to invest an additional ₹10,000 crore in infrastructure in 2023, according to our study. While TSPs bear these costs, LTGs, without contributing, amass multiple incomes through subscriptions, ads and data-driven marketing, with revenues largely outside India’s tax ambit. COAI estimates a ₹800 crore loss to the Indian exchequer in AGR dues and taxes like GST from top 4-5 LTGs. To address this issue, COAI recommends supplementing the USOF with a Fair Share contribution from LTGs.
OTT Regulation: The regulatory disparities prevailing in the sector are impacting the TSPs adversely, leading to concerns over market fairness, national security and user privacy. While TSPs comply with stringent security and compliance norms, the OTT communication services remain largely unregulated. This absence of OTT regulation under the new Access Service authorization perpetuates an uneven playing field. To address this, the government should enforce traceability and user privacy rules on all calling and messaging apps, as those platforms provide similar services using the internet network.
Allocation of 6 GHz spectrum band: Based on IMT2020 requirement, GSMA estimates that 2 GHz of mid-band spectrum will be needed to meet the expected traffic growth in 5G in India. Since 6 GHz is the last remaining mid-band spectrum where city wide coverage can be provided with mobile networks, it is crucial that this band be allocated to IMT. Further, there is another growing concern of Wi-Fi 6E wireless routers operating on the 6 GHz band being sold illegally via e-commerce websites to consumers in India, although DoT has not decided with regard to its utilisation.
Quality of Service (QoS): Despite meeting TRAI’s stringent QoS benchmarks, TSPs face persistent challenges like Right of Way (RoW) issues, spectrum interference and infrastructure constraints, hindering timely network rollouts. The Telecommunications Act 2023 introduced critical RoW amendments for uniform State laws, but timely implementation is crucial, especially for 5G expansion. Meanwhile, TSPs view the newly proposed QoS norms, including monthly and site-to-cell level reporting, as impractical and overly burdensome.
Unsolicited commercial communication (UCC): TSPs, in collaboration with the government, have been addressing the concerns related to UCCs. In compliance with TRAI’s directives, telcos have implemented the Principal Entities-Tele Marketing (PE-TM) binding process to ensure traceable commercial messaging. However, to fully curb the menace of spam calls, the government should also bring the OTT communications service under the UCC regulation, as these unregulated platforms serve as the hotbed for such pesky communications.
Telecom Equipment Theft: Telecom equipment theft has emerged as a major issue affecting Indian TSPs, incurring an estimated Rs. 800 crore in losses already. Industry sources reveal that over 17,000 radio remote units (RRUs) have been stolen during the first half of 2024 alone, causing major disruptions in 4G/5G expansions and impacting quality of mobile services.
Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) network: The proposed D2M network poses new challenges for TSPs, as it undermines market fairness by creating a separate broadcasting network. COAI has called for transparent auctions of the sub-GHz (526-582 MHz) spectrum, integrating it into telecom networks to maintain fair competition. Additionally, the suggestion for a dedicated D2M network for disaster alerts is unnecessary, as cellular networks effectively deliver alerts via the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) platform.
Progressive Measures Offer Respite to TSPs Amid Industry Concerns
Amidst these setbacks, there are progressive measures initiated by the government aimed at fostering growth and reducing financial burden on TSPs. The abolition of the Wireless Operating License (WOL) and the decision to waive bank guarantee (BG) requirements for deferred spectrum payments from auctions since 2012 are among the progressive measures in favour of the industry. The Hon’ble Supreme Court’s judgment affirming the industry’s right to claim credit for taxes and duties paid on towers and related parts emerge as further relief to the sector.
2024 marked a breakthrough year for Indian telecom industry, thanks to the massive collaborative efforts among operators, equipment vendors and industry experts, as well as the on-going support from the government, regulatory body and other stakeholders. As the industry marches ahead with optimism, driven by aggressive growth strategies and network expansion plans, key challenges persist and they need to be addressed on priority. We are hopeful that TSPs’ continued collaboration with the government and other stakeholders will help them address these challenges to drive further innovation and propel the industry towards new milestones in the coming year.”
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