The telecom industry is under constant pressure. Data volumes are rising, customer expectations are sharper, and new services like 5G and IoT keep expanding the scope of operations. Day-to-day processes, such as billing, vendor contracts, service provisioning, and fault resolution, are increasingly becoming fragmented and error-prone. In this environment, Business Process Management (BPM) is proving to be a core solution, being indispensable in four key areas of the industry.
- network inventory management: With vast numbers of physical assets and virtual functions, inaccuracies in the network inventory management system can cause duplicate purchases, delays in service activation, and longer downtime. BPM addresses this by ensuring that every change, whether it's a new circuit, a retired asset, or a virtual upgrade, flows through a consistent process, consequently improving planning and fault-resolution time.
- telecom process management: From activating new services to handling trouble tickets, multiple teams and systems need to work in sync. Without a structured approach, requests can stall at handoffs, leaving customers frustrated. BPM maps these processes end-to-end, automates routine checks, and routes exceptions to the right people. The outcome is quicker installations, faster resolutions, fewer errors, and real-time support, all of which directly impact customer satisfaction.
- cost management: With multiple vendors and complex billing structures, expenses can easily spiral. Telecom expense management solutions powered by BPM provide a way to bring this under control. Invoices are automatically validated against contracts, anomalies are flagged early, and only genuine disputes require human intervention. This not only prevents overbilling but also gives finance teams predictable and accurate data for better decision-making.
- compliance and audit readiness: Telecom runs under strict regulatory oversight. BPM standardises change control, activation checks, data retention, and consent handling into auditable steps. Who did what, when, and why – all gets captured, reducing penalties, speeding audits, and making regulatory updates easier to roll out across teams and systems.
Taken together, these improvements form the basis of more resilient telecom management solutions. When inventory, expenses, provisioning, and customer service are all tied into one framework, leaders gain real-time visibility. Dashboards track performance, alerts highlight risks, and teams act on accurate data rather than assumptions. This coherence is especially important as operators scale into next-gen communication services, which are expanding at an unprecedented pace.
The 5G IoT market alone, valued at USD 13.2 billion in 2023, is projected to grow to nearly USD 59.7 billion by 2028 at a CAGR of 35.1%.
As this surge drives heavier network loads and more complex service portfolios, BPM provides the needed operational backbone, ensuring operators can absorb the growth without chaos.
However, adopting BPM is not without its challenges. Without a clear roadmap, even the best tools can fall short of expectations. To avoid these pitfalls, here are a few practical steps that can make the transition smoother:
- Automate selectively. Target high-volume, rule-based tasks where errors are common, rather than trying to automate everything at once.
- Stabilise data early. Ensure the network inventory management system and vendor billing data are accurate before scaling automation.
- Design clear exception handling. Define who decides on flagged issues, what data they use, and how quickly they must respond.
- Measure and refine. Track metrics like cycle time, first-pass accuracy, dispute resolution rates, and mean time to repair (MTTR) to guide continuous improvement.
Looking ahead, BPM will play an even greater role as telecom companies navigate the complexity of next-gen communication. With services becoming more software-driven and customer expectations continuing to rise, the ability to adapt quickly while maintaining reliable operations will define industry leaders. In the end, telecom operators need more than faster networks. They need faster, smarter ways of working, and BPM offers the structure to achieve this balance.<
In a market where disruption is constant, BPM provides the foundation for stability, agility, and sustainable growth.
how can Infosys BPM help?
Infosys BPM’s Communication Service Provider (CSP) solutions enable telecom operators to modernise and streamline operations through automation and advanced BPM practices. From order and provisioning management to inventory and asset tracking, invoice validation, vendor management, and dispute resolution, Infosys BPM helps CSPs cut errors and reduce costs. With additional services such as mobile device management and policy security, it empowers providers to deliver seamless connectivity, accelerate digital transformation, and build resilient next-gen communication networks.
