The telecommunications sector (telco) is in the middle of a period of massive upheaval as it starts to roll out 5G and experiment with the new services the technology will enable. At the same time, the sector has become commodified, leaving it open to disruption from OTT providers and the telecommunications companies themselves at risk of becoming mere utility providers.

Telecoms companies see customer experience (CX) as having a crucial role in this period of change. And with good reason: the 2020 Digital Trends report shows CX leaders are three times more likely than their peers to have exceeded their business goals. In the case of telecommunications companies, they see CX as a key way to differentiate themselves from their competitors, but it will also be vital in retaining customers during the transition to 5G. At the same time, they see 5G as an important element in improving the quality of their customers’ experience.

Telco’s CX confidence outstrips that of all other business sectors. It seems to be justified: telco marketers are embracing new CX enabling technologies and planning to invest even more, to chase success.

The release of this tenth edition of the report has also coincided with one of the most unprecedented and unpredictable periods in living memory, with COVID-19 dramatically changing how much of the world works and lives.