The rise in the cost-of-living has driven consumers to re-adjust spending priorities. Telcos’ failure to respond to this changing mindset is now the biggest threat facing the industry, according to the annual EY report, Top 10 risks in telecommunications 2023. With consumer spending under increasing pressure, EY research shows that 60% of households are worried about rising broadband subscription prices, and nearly half (45%) believe they overpay for content services.
While network reliability remains a consumer pain point, infrastructure resilience and reach has fallen from No. 1 in the ranking for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic – now at fifth position as other challenges become even more pressing.
Tom Loozen, EY Global Telecommunications Leader, says: “While connectivity represented a lifeline for many during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the landscape has changed. In today’s economic climate, consumers are hyper-focused on the value they’re getting from telecoms providers, and telcos ignore this shift at their peril. The threat is compounded by increasing pressure from regulators, with some demanding that telcos do more to offer consumers ‘social tariffs.’ In response, telcos must create clear, simple and secure propositions that re-assure and appeal to customers.”