Financier №4 (40) 2025

Tatyana Sayfarova,

Founder of the Kazakhstan Association of Customer Service Experts, Independent Consultant at Kazakhtelecom JSC

In my opinion, the ability of an operator to remain invisible while being as useful as possible is becoming a key indicator of service maturity. I often tell my team: the client won’t remember what we did, but they will definitely remember how it made them feel.

Unified communications platforms with elements of artificial intelligence retain context, adapt to situations, and make user interaction with the operator natural and engaging. Thanks to AI, service becomes both intelligent and empathetic. This is a rare case in which technology brings attention back to people rather than diverting it away from them.

My favorite quote is: “The best contact center is the one that doesn’t exist.” This is not about cutting staff, but about business processes that ensure flawless interaction—the customer receives help before they even ask for it. AI-based solutions that manage the entire logic of customer interactions, anticipate intent, create personalized scenarios, and guide users throughout the entire journey make this possible.

In five years, contact centers will evolve into intelligent customer experience hubs. Service will become voice-based, emotionally sensitive, and truly personal. I believe the key breakthrough will be cultural: telecom operators will transform into digital partners that anticipate user needs. Then we will be able to say that the contact center is gone, but the customer remains satisfied.

 

Denis Kuskov,

CEO of TelecomDaily News Agency

Following the launch of a low-orbit satellite constellation scheduled for 2028, issues of digital inequality should largely be resolved. This process will also be supported by the increasing use of AI solutions and the expansion of 5G networks. The telecom industry must adapt imported equipment for domestic production and enhance its technological capabilities, which may require government subsidies.

Among the sector’s top priorities, I would highlight the ability to deploy robots in areas where they can replace human labor. To achieve this, M2M mechanisms (data exchange between devices) are being developed through the installation of SIM cards, sensors, and related technologies. One of the main development areas for the coming years is the smart city: surveillance cameras, video analytics, and facial recognition systems.

Telecom solutions are also penetrating medical technology and transportation, although legislative gaps remain. In particular, online consultations are still not fully regulated in healthcare. Public transport applications allow users to track buses and trolleybuses in real time. Traffic control is a key component of smart city systems, enabling route optimization and time savings.

 

 

Leonid Konik,

CEO and Editor-in-Chief of ComNews

In recent years, terrestrial communications technologies have stagnated: progress has been largely limited to increases in data transfer speeds. At the same time, the trend toward the convergence of satellite and cellular networks is developing rapidly. The day is not far off when direct-to-device (D2D) communication between smartphones and low-orbit satellites becomes available.

5G networks have not yet become a success story. Operators are failing to generate additional revenue despite incurring high deployment costs. A breakthrough could have come from corporations seeking to minimize data transmission latency and support large numbers of connected devices. However, the limited number of use cases and the slow rollout of these features have hindered 5G adoption in the B2B segment.

De facto, telecom has evolved from a vertical market into a horizontal one—a digital foundation. Without basic infrastructure, telemedicine, online education, smart transportation, robotic factories, and video surveillance cannot develop. Only fixed, wireless, cellular, and satellite networks can provide digital data transmission. Operators have yet to find business models that allow them to participate in profit-sharing across these sectors. If telecom companies become merely “pipes” through which third-party traffic flows, they risk bankruptcy or acquisition by Big Tech firms or major content providers.

 

Eldar Murtazin,

Lead Expert, Mobile Research Group

In a global context, new services such as autonomous vehicles and smart cities are becoming priorities for the telecom industry. This presents a challenge for businesses, as governments are often unable to invest sufficiently in these areas. In Russia, the situation is compounded by service depreciation and price wars. Today, communication services in the country are among the cheapest in the world, despite relatively high quality.

Strict security requirements are setting new rules, leaving operators with limited ability to invest in network development. This is the core problem facing the industry today. AI algorithms and related technologies enable the configuration of intelligent networks; without them, modern telecommunications infrastructure would no longer be viable.

The development of satellite communications is particularly important for Russia, as about 7% of the population lives in hard-to-reach areas where wired internet access is not feasible. However, low-orbit satellite projects are also economically costly. Without funding support from defense agencies—after all, projects like Starlink have significant military applications—such initiatives are unlikely to be profitable.

Telecom digitalization is following a clear trajectory. Big data can be monetized in various ways, and communications operators are increasingly becoming data operators, using these capabilities to promote a wide range of services. One promising area is smart city development, which so far has been implemented mainly at the level of individual components.

 

Konstantin Aushev,

Partner, Head of Technology Practice, KPMG Caucasus and Central Asia

The telecom sector is closely intertwined with the technology sector: progress in one immediately drives development in the other. It is within the communications industry that we can expect the most effective AI use cases, as AI underpins next-generation network operations.

Implementing AI projects requires large volumes of data, which telecom operators possess. Decision-makers in telecom and retail trust this data—52% of executives we surveyed confirmed this, compared with a global average of about 30%.

In terms of business models and service offerings, we expect further expansion of Everything-as-a-Service (XaaS)* through collaboration with international and local IT companies, including major technology players. We are likely to see more cases similar to Beeline Kazakhstan and QazCode, where telecom companies spin off additional businesses into separate legal entities.

*Everything-as-a-Service (XaaS) — the provision of a wide range of IT services via the internet on a subscription basis.

According to a KPMG study on the readiness of Kazakh enterprises to adopt AI, 49% of respondents cited a shortage of qualified personnel as a key challenge, while 44% pointed to the lack of standardized methods for evaluating business cases and, consequently, the absence of long-term strategies.

Regarding risks, companies are sometimes forced to postpone infrastructure investments, increasing vulnerability and negatively affecting service quality. As a result, the telecom industry—alongside the financial sector—is expected to lead in the implementation of cybersecurity solutions.

 

Konstantin Akilov,

CEO, TMT-Consulting Agency

The key challenge for telecom today is ensuring ubiquitous and seamless network access without noticeable transitions between technologies. This can be achieved through the integration of wired, mobile, and satellite networks.

While investments in new communication formats are justified, the industry is moving toward a more measured assessment of the potential of 5G and 6G. There are compelling use cases, but the bulk of revenue is still generated by basic services delivered via 4G.

The emergence of mass-market autonomous vehicles as fifth- and sixth-generation networks mature will significantly reshape attitudes toward mobility and simultaneously demand the highest levels of information security. The proliferation of M2M devices will enable flexible management of urban environments and daily life, enhancing convenience and overall quality of life.

Telemedicine has become commonplace across much of Russia, yet expanding the reach and accessibility of services—especially simple remote consultations—remains an ongoing challenge. Telecom will continue to be an invisible but critical link in the digitalization of medical records, diagnostics, treatment, and even surgery. Ultimately, much depends on the further development and refinement of robotic and AI technologies.