Fragmented and inconsistent data, often called “data debt,” is slowing down decision-making and limiting the value of artificial intelligence (AI) for telecom companies in Asia-Pacific (APAC), according to a new study by global professional services company Accenture.
Accenture’s report, Cracking the Code on Data Debt, shows that 71% of APAC telecom executives say poor visibility across networks and service portfolios makes it harder to make timely decisions. The study also found that employees spend more time cleaning data than analyzing it, with 66% focused on preparation and only 34% on analysis. Only 2% of respondents said their organizations have an integrated data strategy that allows smooth data sharing across teams.
The report links these challenges to missed opportunities in using AI more effectively, especially as demand grows for secure, cloud-based, and data-driven services.
“The growth of AI, including demand for secure, cloud-based, and data-driven solutions, presents telcos with a massive opportunity to leverage their networks and customer trust to drive B2B growth and establish their critical role in the modern digital economy,” said Tore Berg, managing director and lead for the Communications, Media and Technology Industry of Accenture in APAC.
A separate Accenture study, The Front Runner’s Guide to Scaling AI, found that only 21% of communications service providers in APAC are currently seeing clear value from their AI investments. According to the research, companies that see results tend to make long-term investments in AI tied to specific industry needs. These include upgrading technology systems, building data foundations that are ready for AI, and investing in new skills and talent models.
The APAC-focused findings are based on a survey of 256 senior telecom executives across 24 countries, all from companies with revenues above $5 billion. Of these, 66 executives were from the APAC region.
The research identified five key processes where APAC telcos are focusing on. These include self-healing automated networks and technical assistants for field engineers under network and service assurance, agent co-pilots for customer experience and care, and sales co-pilots and marketing content generation under sales and marketing.
The Front Runner’s Guide to Scaling AI study surveyed 2,000 C-suite and data science executives from nearly 2,000 large companies worldwide, including telcos. Accenture assessed organizations across 10 capabilities covering data readiness, talent, responsible AI, and large language model operations, and grouped them into four levels of AI readiness.
“Today, 63% of global telcos are investing in AI agents. Most are still experimenting, while two in 10 are actively deploying agents across the value chain,” said Tejas Rao, managing director and Global Network Practice lead for Communications, Media and Technology at Accenture. “They provide telcos with an unprecedented opportunity to turn connectivity into a strategic asset that drives growth.”