The 5G era for operators: investing in core networks, capturing B2B opportunities

The provision of services to enterprises is not new to operators. However, the 5G era has driven renewed interest as B2B use cases are seen as the incremental opportunity to monetise 5G networks and service deployments. Most operators, network vendors and other mobile industry stakeholders agree B2B is a key pillar of their 5G strategies: without it, the 5G business case is much more difficult to justify.

To drive B2B revenue growth, operators need a clear proposition that targets the digital transformation of industries and enterprises - one that integrates nascent 5G networks with services beyond connectivity. A viable and focused B2B investment strategy is also key. Getting the capabilities (5G networks, cloud, edge, IoT and spectrum) and business models in place to fully service enterprises will take time, but operators are already laying the groundwork to capture new B2B opportunities.