Building the metaverse: three waves of developments, five monetisation routes for operators

Premium
Building the metaverse: three waves of developments, five monetisation routes for operators
This insight is locked

Access this insight with a Premium plan. Contact our sales team to get started.


Or

The metaverse is still in its infancy, but the pace of developments and announcements has accelerated in the last 12 months. Despite scepticism from some companies or investors on the metaverse in general and specifically on how the business case will play out (investments versus returns), this space will continue to capture interest and activity in 2023 and beyond. In this report, we review the state of the metaverse and its future outlook across various areas, including major developments and trends, the companies driving momentum and early use cases in the consumer and enterprise markets.

Building on our consumer survey, we analyse consumer awareness of the metaverse across major developed countries and their views on the online activities that will benefit the most from the metaverse.

Finally, we delve into operator strategies and expectations for the metaverse. Our survey of 100 operators worldwide reveals important insights into what operators think about the metaverse opportunity and where they are with their metaverse strategies. To help operators navigate the nascent metaverse opportunity we identify and compare five main monetisation routes while shining light on what major operators such as SK Telecom, Telefónica and Verizon are doing in the metaverse space.

Report details

Building the metaverse: three waves of developments, five monetisation routes for operators
More info

This report is one of more than 140 published annually as part of the GSMA Intelligence data and research subscription, which is designed for organisations that require regular access to our insights. Contact our sales team for details.

Contact us

Related research

Telcos and the AI token economy: China sets the pace

Standard
Topics
Artificial intelligence (AI)
Digital consumer services
Digital industries

Last month, China’s three major telecoms operators became the first to launch token-based AI plans, packaging AI usage in a way that resembles traditional mobile data bundles, signalling a broader push by operators to commercialise AI, cloud and compute capabilities. This reflects growing interest among operators in monetising AI by moving beyond internal AI efficiencies and towards commercial AI opportunities. The logic is simple – tap the surging interest in AI and put a meter on it – but the concept goes beyond just offering tokens for cash.

This insight is locked

World Cup 2026: are operators the game-changers?

Topics
Mobile networks and connectivity
eSIM
Digital consumer services

The 2026 Fifa World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the US is set to capture the attention of football fans around the world, with operators playing a significant role in its success. The event in many ways represents a microcosm of operator strategy: combining infrastructure performance, customer experience and service innovation to meet immediate demand and strengthen long-term competitive positioning.

This insight is locked

Operators beyond connectivity: tracking progress, leaders and services driving revenue growth

Premium
Topics
Digital industries
Internet of things (IoT)
Digital consumer services

From a financial perspective, services beyond traditional core telecoms are now a key component of telco revenue growth. This report looks at how far major operators have progressed with revenues beyond traditional core telecoms, the operators leading in terms of revenue diversification and growth beyond connectivity, and the main trends and drivers of growth.

This insight is locked

Authors

How to access this report

Annual subscription: Subscribe to our research modules for comprehensive access to more than 200 reports per year.

Enquire about subscription

Contact our research team

Get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis.

Contact our research team

Media

To cite our research, please see our citation policy in our Terms of Use, or contact our Media team for more information.

Learn more
Full access
Get full access to our research now, get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis
  • 200 reports a year
  • 50 million data points
  • Over 350 metrics

How can we support you?

Get in touch

Contact the GSMA Intelligence support team for help with your account, subscriptions, or access to reports and insights.

Newsletter

Subscribe to the GSMA Intelligence newsletter for the latest industry news and insights, delivered to your inbox.

Building the metaverse: three waves of developments, five monetisation routes for operators | GSMA Intelligence