Telecoms Industry

Chris talks on a TV panel

Chris has been analysing the global telecoms and related industries for 40 years. His strengths lie in his ability to put the industry into context in its entirety, rather than dealing with its constituent elements and to pragmatically advise on the impact of technological and commercial changes.

In addition to his public commentary, Chris also consults with senior industry players behind closed doors, sharing open and frank perspectives on technology, products & services and strategies.

Insights on Telecoms

  • What investment in 5G today means for the world tomorrow

    As an industry, telecoms are obsessed with introducing the next generation.  None more so than 5G.  Not only has it naturally been promoted by the chipset and telecoms equipment manufacturers, but it has also been hijacked by the world’s politicians as an easy attention grabber during election campaigns.  5G around the world Given the universality…

  • How the telecom industry adapted to underpin the world response to a pandemic

    In 2020, the telecom industry took on the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and came through the test with a very positive scorecard. Many outside the industry thought that fixed and mobile networks would creak and fall over as traffic patterns shifted and soared through the new reliance on video-based collaboration for work and…

  • Navigating partnerships in telecoms: You’re joining my ecosystem, I’m not joining yours!

    The term ecosystem is bandied around almost as often as “You’re on mute,” during the explosion of video conferences of late. However, the difference is the mute thing is pretty obvious whereas the ecosystem angle depends heavily on your start point and background. Common terms include open, multi-stakeholder, federated, frictionless, mutual benefit, dynamic, and adapting to market…

  • Embedding telecoms into post-pandemic healthcare

    The telecommunications market has been inward-looking for most of its history, focusing on the technology transitions and what it allows people and businesses to do. Now it’s beginning to shift that emphasis to the industries that telecoms serve and how it needs to adapt. Tackling one market at a time is the only realistic approach,…

  • How tech can bridge the disability divide for a billion people

    When I first went to a blind school in the early 1970s, the only technology available for visually impaired people was a braille machine and magnifying glasses. Fifty years later, we are on the brink of fully bridging the disability divide through the use of communications devices and general-purpose technology.  Back then, technology was expensive…

  • Does that guide dog really know where he’s going?

    Having been registered blind for over 30 years it may come as a surprise that I have never had a guide dog. My residual sight was sort of good enough to bluff my way by waving a white stick and very, very occasionally (being a bloke) asking for help. Having never had a dog before and after an eighteen-month…