As the world moves into a post-digital era, communications companies are setting their sights beyond their organization’s digital transformation, moving toward shaping how business partners, employees and individuals interact with the world through technology. To succeed, future-minded leaders know that, in addition to using every digital tool in their current arsenal, they’ll also need new ones.

That means embracing a group of emerging technologies to drive the next waves of innovation and growth. Specifically, they will need to master the set of new technologies we call DARQ: distributed ledger technology, artificial intelligence, extended reality and quantum computing.

Individually, each of these four technologies represent opportunities for communications businesses to differentiate their products and services. Collectively, they will open unimagined new pathways into the future.

91%

of communications executives are already experimenting with one or more DARQ technologies, expecting them to be key differentiators.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

43% of CSPs ranked AI as the DARQ Technology that will have the greatest impact on their organization over the next three years.

  • CSPs are using AI to optimize customer support/sales and identify network and device health problems.
  • To extend AI capabilities CSPs must scale the new IT by moving beyond pilots and proofs of concept.

Blockchain

55% of CSPs said that they have adopted or piloted blockchain/distributed ledger.

  • Consortia have collaborated to develop industry use cases and the implementation of platform solutions is in progress.
  • The combinatorial impact will empower the network operator: blockchain enables secure data sharing and AI supports new ways to manage that data.

Extended Reality

5G will usher in a new world of extended reality experiences that will change all sectors.

  • Augmented reality enabled field force workers are able to optimize time and supplement their expertise on installation and maintenance tasks.
  • Some communications companies are already experimenting with the possibilities in the consumer space as well.

Quantum Computing

19% of CSPs said that quantum computing will have the greatest impact over the next three years.

  • However well-proved use cases and the mature technology to execute them might still be some way off.
  • CSPs can prepare by completing their journey to the cloud, enabling more flexible platforms to support their future computing power.

View All

Overall, DARQ will enable the post-digital era of business and technology, and those looking to lead in that era must start now.

George Nazi

Global Lead – Accenture Communications and Media

Adriano Poloni

Global Technology Lead – Accenture Communications and Media

MORE ON THIS TOPIC

Blockchain

Blockchain: Carrying the Comms industry forward

Strategy

AI: The momentum mindset

Labs

Quantum computing

Subscription Center
Stay in the Know with Our Newsletter Stay in the Know with Our Newsletter
Subscribe