The telecoms industry has hit an inflection point, with a newfound focus on computing-centric applications. This marks the era where communications alone is no longer enough for telcos to drive the revenue growth they seek. At Mobile World Congress 2025 (MWC25), ABI Research analysts observed this transformation unfolding across the exhibition floor. As the event highlighted Artificial Intelligence (AI), edge computing, and data-driven solutions over conventional hardware, the telco value chain emerged as a key area of change. Here are five compelling examples from MWC25, each revealing a piece of this industry-wide pivot.
The manufacturing industry is in the midst of a transformative period. Technological advancements are enabling unprecedented operational efficiencies and revealing previously hidden revenue opportunities. At the same time, manufacturers must contend with the baby boomer exodus, curb rising cyberthreats, and meet climate regulations.
The year 2024 provided numerous technology trends shaping the future of nearly every industry. ABI Research analysts have been covering these developments for some time, and now it’s time to reflect upon our studies in our annual trends whitepaper. Before we dive into the list, here’s a statement from Stuart Carlaw, Chief Research Officer:
The modern enterprise only uses about 5% of the data it generates. With so much vital information flying under the radar, companies are not always making the best business decisions. This challenge will only worsen if you do not adopt a data fabric.
The International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) 2024 marked another milestone in innovation, with exhibitors showcasing advancements across robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), data integration, cloud computing, and more. The usual big names were there to show the world what they’ve been up to, but they were accompanied by smaller startups hoping to make a big splash. The technological breakthroughs on display in Chicago this year embody the innovative spirit the manufacturing industry requires to address an aging workforce, increased demand, and supply chain complexities.
Working in a competitive industry demands that you become a data-driven organization. As a technology solution provider, effectively leveraging data can unlock significant advantages, such as driving market expansion and fostering innovation. Unfortunately, all too many companies lack an analytical approach to decision-making.
Enterprise data fabric is gaining significant attention in today’s digitally-driven world as enterprises require a holistic approach to data storage and integration. As enterprises introduce more technologies to their operations, their data generation will continue to increase. This makes collating, storing, and contextualizing data more challenging. An enterprise data fabric unifies data across departments and business units, enabling users to draw connections that would otherwise go unnoticed.
Manufacturers are expected to spend more than US$1 billion on private 5G in 2025. Growing at a robust Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 45.7%, that number will surpass US$8.7 billion by 2030.
A key theme at MWC 2024 was sustainability, and reducing energy costs is now a key concern and priority for all mobile operators. Although the discussion nowadays focuses mostly on active antennas and how network operators can deploy 5G, most global networks are still powered by passive antennas, which are also following sustainability enhancements. These are now referred to as “high-efficiency” antennas, highlighting that their design, manufacturing, operation, and technology are taking sustainability into account. These antennas have recently taken a significant step toward being adopted in the mainstream, from previously being discussed as a theoretical concept. These traditional passive antennas have inherent energy losses, achieved through both their design and the manufacturing process, which all add to increased energy output, and thus more Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions. With base stations and their attached antenna units totaling 57% of all electrical power consumption in the passive antenna network, this is a key area for vendors to target in reducing their energy output while increasing their Radio Frequency (RF) efficiency.
ABI Research will attend the Hannover Messe 2024 exhibition in late April to evaluate the most transformative technologies shaping the industrial markets. This article shares our analysts' predictions for the event. Before we get to those expectations, here is a word from ABI Research Chief Research Officer Stuart Carlaw.
