Leveraging 5G Services for Next-Generation Telecom and Media Innovation

Abstract

The convergence of telecom and media, which was thought to be inevitable, has recently become fragmented due to the pandemic, while the public sector has taken a lead role. In the present sentiment, each sector is focusing on its domain. Telecom is in a growth phase as a digital infrastructure that enables remote work and distance learning, while media has recorded a decline in ad sales owing to companies’ decreased advertising expenditures during the pandemic. However, telecom and media share a common vision based on digital user experiences. Telecom is the connectivity architecture that provides communication solutions, while media is the content ecosystem that offers entertainment services and traditional news and information functions. Thus, they can achieve far greater experiences for digital users by combining telecom and media capabilities than they can ever achieve alone. It is an era of maximizing experiences in talking, playing, and watching together. In cooperation with the telecom and media ecosystem, we come up with new value-creation opportunities by leveraging expanded capabilities. Ecosystem players are taking the lead to delve into new experiences, going beyond just “watch-exclusive” formats. Telecom and media alike are emphasizing the ability to generate community engagement around live viewing events. Telecom’s goal is to boost mobile data demand and drive service penetration, while media’s goal is to generate production cost-efficient “watch” monetization. In this context, telecom and media are also using advanced capabilities – ultra-low latency, high capacity, and edge computing – to create an immersive “play-exclusive” experience via AR/VR and multi-user gaming services. Telecom seeks to accelerate the penetration of mobile subscriptions, and media wants to leverage relationships for traffic and revenue growth, thereby enhancing the value of their respective customer relationships.