Competition isn’t slowing down. Hyperscalers, platform players, IT service firms, equipment manufacturers, and software startups are all competing for the same enterprise dollars - and communications service providers (CSPs) are feeling the pressure to find new sources of growth.
One of the most valuable, and often underutilized, assets that operators already have is their data. For years, telecom operators have generated enormous volumes of real-time connectivity, mobility, and usage data. Yet much of the commercial value derived from that intelligence has been captured by OTT and platform players. Operators built the infrastructure, while others monetized the insights.
With AI now mature enough to process data at scale, that dynamic is starting to shift. CSPs have a real opportunity to responsibly reclaim that value and turn network intelligence into scalable, enterprise-grade solutions.
Analysts estimate that the global telco data monetization market will reach $19.8 billion by 2030. At the same time, recent reports show that mobile data traffic continues to grow rapidly, creating an ever-expanding pool of rich subscriber insights (data that communications service providers can transform into highly targeted, sector specific intelligence).
That intelligence has clear cross-industry value:
Insurance and Financial Services: customer intelligence, risk scoring, fraud alerts, and underwriting insights
Government and Smart Cities: urban planning, public safety, and transportation optimization
Enterprises and IoT Ecosystems: device behavior and roaming intelligence to improve efficiency
Marketing and Product Development: segmentation, targeting, and innovation strategies
For enterprises, this means smarter decisions, lower risk, stronger planning, and ultimately faster growth.
How Can Operators Unlock Value from Their Data?
For operators to truly unlock the value of their data, they need solutions built on three essential pillars:
Today, CSPs have access to vast streams of data from devices, applications, and location signals. But turning this raw data into real-time market intelligence and flexible commercial models requires advanced analytics frameworks capable of processing data at scale.
When these capabilities are in place, CSPs can extract granular, high-value intelligence to support strategic enterprise decision-making, such as:
From Insights to Ecosystems: Building Interoperable Intelligence
The next phase of telco data monetization goes beyond delivering standalone reports or dashboards. It’s about building intelligence ecosystems where operators and partners collaborate securely across industries.
By combining operator data with complementary partner capabilities - such as fintech platforms, insurers, mobility providers, or digital service ecosystems, CSPs can package anonymized, AI-powered insights that move securely across industries. These interoperable models break down silos and enable new forms of collaboration, from real-time fraud mitigation to smarter urban planning and mobility optimization.
This shifts data monetization from a one-off transaction into a scalable, multi-party value exchange model. Operators shouldn’t be just supplying data, they need to play a role in architecting intelligence-driven business models.
Trust, Privacy, and Responsible AI
As global data privacy regulations change, operators must ensure intelligence is delivered responsibly. That means privacy-by-design architectures, embedded safeguards, anonymization, and secure processing are built into the foundation.
This makes it critical for CSPs to adopt responsible AI practices, transparency in modelling, bias management, and auditability. When strong controls are embedded from the start, operators can safely enable cross-industry intelligence sharing while maintaining subscriber trust.
For CSPs, trust isn’t just a compliance requirement, it is a key differentiator. Something they built a reputation for over the years, and that they should be able to build upon in this new age.
Data Monetization: From Potential to Reality
This evolution is already underway. Leading communications service providers, such as Telkomsel, Indonesia’s largest mobile operator, are turning their data assets into engines of digital growth.
Beyond enterprise growth, these initiatives also advance broader outcomes, supporting financial inclusion, fraud prevention, transportation optimization, and digital ecosystem development.
Recognizing the strategic importance of its data, Telkomsel set out to accelerate Indonesia’s digital ecosystem. In partnership with Mobileum, the company is empowering enterprises, including SuperApp providers and digital service platforms, with actionable intelligence to personalize user experiences, optimize engagement, and scale efficiently.
Telkomsel’s Vice President of Data Solutions and Digital Financial Services, Alfian Manullang, recently explained:
“At Telkomsel, we are committed to accelerating Indonesia’s digital ecosystem by equipping businesses with the innovative and impactful solutions they need to thrive. This partnership [with Mobileum] enhances our ability to provide timely, AI data-driven insights that help enterprises innovate faster, operate more efficiently, and uncover new opportunities for sustainable growth. By combining our leadership in building an inclusive, competitive digital society with Mobileum’s advanced analytics capabilities, we’re delivering measurable value that empowers businesses today while helping shape a brighter digital future for Indonesia.”
Powered by Mobileum’s Deep Network Analytics (DNA) platform, which uses machine learning and geo-analytics models to unlock the hidden value of operators’ network data, Telkomsel is initially focusing on three high impact areas:
Reclaiming the Intelligence Layer
Built to enable strategic enterprise decision making, Mobileum DNA delivers granular, real-time insights into customer behavior, application engagement, and emerging market trends. By enabling secure, interoperable intelligence sharing, Mobileum DNA helps transform raw network data into trusted, AI-powered business models, supporting scalable monetization while maintaining strict privacy protections and control frameworks.
With these insights, enterprises can launch more targeted campaigns, uncover new revenue opportunities, and form digital partnerships, while CSPs reclaim their role as trusted intelligence providers within the digital economy.
Click here to learn more about Mobileum DNA, or contact us to schedule a personalized demo and see how Mobileum can help you unlock the full value of your data.