According to a joint study by MegaFon and the Association of Managers, nearly half of Russian companies now view telecom operators as strategic partners in their digital transformation , with 46% of executives expecting operators to take part in developing digital processes and business architecture, and 52% seeking a deep industry understanding and the ability to offer comprehensive solutions. (biz.cnews.ru)
The research says businesses are increasingly open to digital products from telecoms on a par with IT firms, and lists strong interest in cloud solutions, automation technologies, big‑data analytics, digital‑marketing tools, cybersecurity systems and AI‑based services. In specific readiness metrics, 55% of companies would involve operators for cloud deployments, 54% for data analytics, 53% for digital‑marketing tools and 49% for AI‑based products. (biz.cnews.ru)
Respondents named cybersecurity and big‑data analytics among the most urgent digitalisation directions either already being implemented or planned within the next six months, underlining security and insight generation as near‑term priorities for corporate IT programmes. (biz.cnews.ru)
The survey highlights the attributes that business leaders seek in digital‑service providers: sector knowledge, willingness to operate as strategic partners, a broad technology portfolio, a capacity for innovation and support for import substitution. About one in five executives also stressed the importance of a supplier having its own technological ecosystem. (biz.cnews.ru)
The findings come as MegaFon , one of Russia’s largest telecom operators , positions itself beyond connectivity, emphasising digital services to corporate clients. Company background material shows MegaFon’s long presence in the Russian market and its sizeable subscriber base, which industry sources put at tens of millions of users. (ru.wikipedia.org)
Industry observers say the shift reflects broader trends: enterprises seeking suppliers that can bundle connectivity, cloud and managed services to simplify vendor landscapes and accelerate projects. According to the study authors, telecoms’ existing infrastructure, distribution channels and customer relationships give them comparative advantages in deploying integrated solutions for business customers. (biz.cnews.ru)
The study’s authors and MegaFon framed the results as evidence that telecoms are moving from a pure‑play communications role to that of technology partners in corporate digitalisation, while industry analysts note that execution , not intent , will determine whether operators can compete effectively with traditional IT vendors in areas such as cloud, analytics and AI. (biz.cnews.ru)
Source: Noah Wire Services