In the Spotlight: Telecom Professionals, the “Heroes” That Keep Us All Connected

This month, Mobileum launched a global campaign putting the spotlight on the professionals behind assuring telecom networks’ connectivity, seamless operations, and security. Those heroes are spread across multiple departments, from network management to security and risk management, up to roaming and wholesale management. These are the unsung heroes that power connectedness and our modern society and way of living. It’s not just the big-ticket items, such as crafting the code to send the first SMS or the decades of testing that enables each 10-second phone call we make, that we want to applaud these groups of people for. But, every day, these communications heroes ensure high-performing, secure connectivity that we often take for granted. Their work, valued in billions globally, enhances our everyday lives with seamless access to communication, commerce, and entertainment. Here are a few statistics to put the value of their work in perspective: 

• The benefits driven by 2G, 3G, and 4G in developed markets have totalled $1.5 trillion of economic value (2.8% of their GDP) over the last two decades. For 5G, it is forecasted that $600 billion or 2.1% of global income growth will occur in the next decade. – GSMA Intelligence  
• IoT roaming will be worth $1.5billion in 2028, as the number of roaming connections from narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) and LTE-M devices is estimated to grow over five times from 90 million in 2023 to 490 million by 2028 – Juniper Research.  
• Telecom fraud losses rose by 12% in 2023 compared to 2021, equating to an estimated $38.95 billion lost in 2023, or 2.5% of telecommunications revenues. - Communications Fraud Control Association 

We are a huge advocate of the value of technology progress, such as AI and automation, for growth and economic prosperity. One of the key benefits of AI is that it will help automate manual processes, which can then free up time for engineers to spend on high-value tasks. AI and automation combined will play an essential role in the launch of new 5G exciting use cases, managing the huge volumes of roaming traffic and IoT devices, and protecting the network and customers from known and unknown fraud and cyber security threats. However, CSPs will not gain the true benefits of AI and automation without the insight and foresight of the industry’s best minds to direct how AI and automation should be applied.  

For this reason, Mobileum would like to thank those working in: 

• Network Management: for supervising the network, ensuring its reliability and performance, and maintaining the smooth operation of all systems.  
• Security and Risk Management: for protecting telecom networks and subscribers from complex fraudulent threats, scams, and cyber-attacks.  
• Roaming and Wholesale Management: for bridging separate telecom networks, elevating global collaboration and interconnection to new levels, and enhancing a seamless customer experience worldwide. 

It may seem that your efforts to keep the world connected go unnoticed. But we see you and want to celebrate you.