Jeff Kagan: Who will be the leaders in 5G private networks, AI and wireless broadband?

December 05, 2024 at 10:07 AM EST

Jeff Kagan: Who will the leaders be in 5G private networks, AI and wireless broadband?

The telecommunications industry has a long history of grappling with innovation and changing leadership.

It started decades ago, with plain old telephone service and cable television. Next, through wireless to Internet and VoIP to new sectors like broadband, private 5G networks, FWA wireless broadband, AI, streaming TV and so much more.

So let’s take a look at who some of the leaders appear to be going forward.

Some new companies will become primary players in new areas, like Nvidia NVDA as the AI sector continues to grow. Existing leaders in yesterday’s technology want to change and remain leaders going forward. These are companies like AT&T , Verizon, T-Mobile, Comcast Xfinity, Charter Spectrum, Altice, Cox and many others.

Plus, new technologies like private wireless, wireless broadband, AI and more means leadership can jump from one company to the next during this period.

Open AI created ChatGPT which is a new slice in the chatbot pie. Open AI is still a young company but so many larger companies like Microsoft are investing in and using them to expand into artificial intelligence.

While Open AI is an important new name, there are many others using their AI technology and that of other companies as well. In fact, many large companies are quickly moving into AI, including Microsoft MSFT , Google, Amazon, IBM, Facebook, Alibaba, Alphabet, Apple, C3.ai, Tesla, Adobe and so many others.

Based on what we see, I could guess that AI is perhaps the fastest growing segment we have ever seen. We haven’t seen anything like it since the iPhone and Android hit the market nearly 20 years ago.

That being said, there are a wide variety of companies and practices to be aware of. Some are really introducing AI to the marketplace. At the other end of the spectrum are companies who talk like they are in the AI game, but that’s pretty much it. Plus, a whole lot of companies somewhere in between.

Every CEO needs to understand the growth wave or growth curve

Every new technology starts as an idea. In the early years the growth wave is always rising. Then after a while, as new growth slows then declines, things change. Every company must continue to ride the growth wave. If not, they will grow for a while, then eventually fail.

Some companies ride several different growth waves. Others focus on one. The thing is, no growth wave lasts forever. It changes over time and as technology changes. Past leaders gave way to new leaders in wireless and new tech like AI

Example: companies like Motorola led the wireless space for decades until the late 1990s. Then Blackberry led the space for the next decade. Then Google Android and Apple iPhone became the next growth wave.

As the industry matures and changes over time, often past leaders suddenly get sent to the bottom of the list of competitors as new technology moves in. Only companies who successfully create the next growth wave can continue to grow. Some past leaders can do this. Most struggle.

This is an obvious lesson to learn, but apparently knowing it is not the same as creating the next growth wave to ride on. So many strong industry leaders have been cut down because they ignored this warning.

There are new segments being created today. Traditional telephone, traditional wireless, traditional cable television and others are changing.

Growth is now coming from the next generation of services including wireless, private wireless, wireless broadband, streaming television and so much more, which are still in their early days.

AI is playing an important role in every industry with every company. Including all the telecommunications sectors.

At CES 2025 and MWC 25 companies will try to be noticed

Understanding all these different segments and where the new opportunities are popping up is key to strong growth going forward. At events like CES 2025 and MWC 25, we will see so many companies trying to punch there way onto the map, be heard and noticed.

New sectors will continue to appear and grow. In fact, I fully expect to see even more new growth sectors enter the picture as well.

That’s why it is important to stay updated on all the changes that are occurring. New and changing technology will create new leaders. It’s not always easy, but it’s our job to get smart and bet on the right horses.

More Jeff Kagan: Private wireless and wireless broadband are showing growth