EOFY Telco Trends: What We’ve Learned from FY24 and What’s Coming in FY25
As the 2024 financial year comes to a close, it’s the perfect time to take stock of what the telecommunications industry has taught us, and what’s on the horizon. For Australian businesses, the last financial year was marked by tighter budgets, evolving technologies, and increasing demand for flexibility in communications. As we head into the new financial year, understanding the key emerging telco trends can help businesses future-proof their strategy, streamline costs, and gain a competitive edge.
We highlight the biggest telecommunications trends from this financial year and forecast what businesses should prepare for in the new financial year.
What We Learned in FY24
The Shift to Hybrid-First Communication Is Here to Stay
The last 12 months confirmed what many suspected: hybrid working is no longer a trend, it’s the norm. Businesses of all sizes continued to invest in cloud-based communications platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom Phone, and UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) solutions to support distributed teams.
We also saw a rise in mobile-first strategies, with more organisations ditching desk phones in favour of business mobiles and softphone apps. The key takeaway? Businesses need flexible and require scalable systems that work seamlessly across locations and devices.
Telecommunications Overspend Remains a Persistent Issue
Many businesses continue to fall victim to uncovered overspending, common culprits include outdated service plans, unused mobile lines, and duplicated internet services across locations.
At Telco Broker, we saw clients save between 20–40% after undertaking a telco audit, which is essential for identifying wastage and reallocating your telco budget to more productive areas.
NBN Upgrades and Fibre Expansion Gained Momentum
The NBN has accelerated its fibre upgrade program, enabling more businesses to transition from FTTN (Fibre to the Node) to FTTP (Fibre to the Premises). This shift has improved speed and reliability for regional and metro businesses alike.
Enterprises also began considering alternative enterprise-grade options like Business NBN, Enterprise Ethernet, and dark fibre services, especially those with heavy data needs or multiple locations.
Vendor Consolidation and Contract Reviews on the Rise
In a push for simplicity and savings, we have seen many organisations consolidating their telco services. This strategy helps with centralising support and gaining better visibility over service performance and billing.
We also saw a surge in contract reviews. Businesses became more cautious before signing long-term deals, often opting for brokered procurement or external advice to assess hidden costs and lock-in clauses.
What Telco Trends We Can Expect to See Grow Further
AI and Automation in Telco Support
Artificial Intelligence continues to transform telco support over the coming year. Expect to see more businesses using AI-driven tools for monitoring service performance, managing help desk requests, and automating alerts for outages or usage anomalies.
Automation will also play a bigger role in billing validation, asset tracking, and vendor management. Companies that embrace these tools will save time and reduce human error in their telecom operations.
Increased Demand for Sustainability and Energy Efficiency
Sustainability is no longer a buzzword, it’s a business requirement. We can expect to see more telco vendors offer greener, more energy-efficient solutions. From low-emission data centres to eco-friendly hardware, as the pressure increases to align telco strategy with ESG goals.
Businesses will also look to reduce their carbon footprint by retiring unused equipment and switching to digital communications where possible.
Greater Emphasis on Cybersecurity in Telecom Infrastructure
With the rise of hybrid work and increased data sharing, telco infrastructure is still a major cybersecurity concern. Over the coming year, we will see more organisations implementing secure mobile management tools, encrypted communications platforms, and policies for telecom-related data governance.
Expect vendors to place a stronger focus on security credentials in their service offerings, especially in industries handling sensitive customer data.
More Strategic Use of Telecom Brokers
As telco landscapes grow more complex, businesses will increasingly rely on telecommunications brokers, like Telco Broker to help navigate vendor options, compare quotes, and manage transitions. The demand for impartial, expert guidance, especially during contract renewals and audits, is expected to grow significantly.
At Telco Broker, we’re already seeing this shift, with businesses reaching out earlier in the procurement process for strategy support, not just cost-cutting.
EOFY Is the Best Time to Act
The end of financial year is the ideal time to assess your telco setup and plan ahead. Whether you’re looking to cut costs, upgrade your current telecommunications infrastructure, or negotiate a better deal.
Need help? Book a free consultation with our experts and let us show you how a smarter telco strategy can set your business up for success in the new financial year.
Call us on 1300 978 073 or contact us to get started.
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