Don’t Let Legacy Tech Hold You Back: 5 Ways Telcos Can Stay Ahead

While the telco industry has long been known for large-scale infrastructure and long investment cycles, the reality is shifting. Technologies like 5G, edge computing, and AI are redefining what's possible — and legacy systems are becoming a serious liability.

1. Legacy Infrastructure Slows Down Innovation

Many telco companies still rely on systems built a decade or more ago. These platforms weren’t designed for the demands of real-time services, hyper-personalized offers, or dynamic network management.

A 2024 GSMA report found that 63% of telcos list legacy systems as a top barrier to launching new digital services.

[.infobox][.infobox-heading]Solution:[.infobox-heading]Adopt a phased modernization strategy — starting with the most business-critical or inflexible systems. Use cloud-native principles, prioritize modularity, and create space for continuous iteration rather than waiting for a big-bang transformation.[.infobox]

2. Customers Expect More Than Connectivity

Users today aren’t just comparing telcos with each other. They’re comparing your app to Netflix, your chatbot to ChatGPT, and your onboarding process to Amazon’s one-click.

Legacy stacks often prevent real-time personalization, seamless self-service, and agile deployment. Falling behind isn’t just possible — it’s inevitable without change.

[.infobox][.infobox-heading]Solution:[.infobox-heading]Modernize the digital front end and integrate smart personalization tools. Ensure systems can respond in real time to customer behavior and provide seamless omnichannel experiences. Invest in UX as much as in technology.[.infobox]

3. Your Data Is Trapped in Silos

Telcos generate massive amounts of data. But many can’t fully use it because their systems aren’t integrated or fast enough to process information in real time.

This blocks advanced use cases like:

• Predictive maintenance and fault detection
• Real-time customer churn prediction
• AI-driven support agents and network optimization

According to McKinsey, companies that leverage real-time analytics can increase EBITDA by up to 20%.

[.infobox][.infobox-heading]Solution:[.infobox-heading]Establish a unified data architecture that enables real-time analytics and decision-making. Break down silos with event-driven pipelines, adopt a data lake or data mesh approach, and build capabilities around streaming, not just reporting.[.infobox]

4. Compliance Requirements Are Growing

Regulations like DORA, GDPR, or ePrivacy aren’t going away. Legacy systems weren’t built for today’s cybersecurity, traceability, or data governance needs.

[.infobox][.infobox-heading]Solution:[.infobox-heading]Embed compliance and security directly into your architecture. Design systems with observability, encryption, access control, and auditability as core features — not as afterthoughts. Modernization is an opportunity to rebuild trust and reduce risk.[.infobox]

5. Modularity Is the Future — Not Monoliths

Today’s leading telcos are shifting toward API-first, cloud-native, and event-driven architectures. That’s because modular platforms allow for faster changes, smoother integrations, and freedom from vendor lock-in.

If your systems can’t talk to each other — or to the outside world — you’re locked out of the future ecosystem economy.

[.infobox][.infobox-heading]Solution:[.infobox-heading]Redesign your architecture around interoperability. Use open standards, publish APIs, and enable internal and external developers to build on top of your core services. This opens the door to faster innovation and stronger partnerships.[.infobox]

Telco Should Be a Service for People — Not Just a Set of Technologies

Telecom infrastructure is not an end in itself. With new regulations like the European Accessibility Act (EAA), human needs are becoming central to telco strategies. One major shift is the mandatory implementation of Real-Time Text (RTT) calls, which enable instant text-based communication, for example, for people with hearing impairments. This reframes telco as a service that must be inclusive, accessible, and built around real user needs.

RTT calls also introduce new compliance requirements. If a contract is agreed upon or consent is given during an RTT session, proper recording may be required. Many legacy systems are not equipped to handle this. That’s why modernization isn’t only about speed and efficiency — it’s also about legal responsibility, digital inclusion, and customer trust.

Start Small, Think Big — And Move Fast

The good news? You don’t need a massive “rip and replace” approach. Many telcos are embracing step-by-step modernization, starting with core systems or high-impact use cases.

Cloud-native platforms, data lakes, and AI-powered tools can be integrated incrementally — with real results from day one.

Ready to break free from outdated tech?

Trask helps telco companies modernize their systems, unlock their data, and build digital experiences that are ready for what’s next — securely, modularly, and without disruption.

Let’s explore what’s holding you back — and how we can help move your architecture forward.

Author

Petr Hofmann, Architect, Telco at Trask. You can reach out to our expert's LinkedIn here.