FutureNet Asia 2026 is almost here, and I am looking forward to being in Singapore, catching up with familiar faces, meeting new ones, and hearing what’s on the minds of the 600+ industry leaders joining the event.
The reason for my excitement? Most MNOs need to augment their flat connectivity revenues with new value-added services. At FutureNet Asia, Rakuten Symphony will showcase the strategies, ecosystem and technology that MNOs need to create those services.
Growth Needs a New Perspective
With 70+ businesses across the Rakuten Ecosystem, we see connectivity as more than just moving data—it’s about creating new value from the network. I invite you to visit us at Booth 14 at FutureNet Asia 2026 and explore how AI, Cloud, Open RAN and the broader Rakuten Ecosystem can help unlock new opportunities for your network and business.
If you’re at the show, stop by and have a conversation with our team. You may just find an idea, technology, or new perspective that sparks something valuable for your business.
AI That Creates Business Value
I plan to highlight new service strategies as part of a panel discussion titled “The Telco Reinvention: How AI can fuel Value Creation?” The panel will take place on September 22 at 10 AM SGT at Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention and will include:
- Prathet Tankuranum, CTO, True Corporation
- Volkan Sevindik, CTO, StarHub
- Sayen Banerjee, Chief Analytics & AI Officer, XL Smart
- Abe Nejad, Publisher, The Network Media Group (Moderator)
We’ll explore how next-generation networks are creating new service and revenue opportunities beyond connectivity—from 5G, edge and cloud-native architectures to AI-powered automation. The conversation will look at real-world use cases, how operators can capture value across emerging digital ecosystems, and how AI and automation can drive both operational efficiency and new service innovation. I invite you to join us for the conversation and explore what’s next for AI, networks, and value creation.
Measuring the Value of the Ecosystem
So, what is behind this evolution in new service innovation?
Metrics matter and need to evolve, so that the data captured informs decisions on investing in the right technology and services. Measuring churn and ARPU are not as insightful as measuring lifetime customer value and cross-service usage. These metrics provide insights on how to capture value from a services ecosystem.
The new metrics need to treat spectrum and data as an MNO’s two monetizable assets and track how effectively both are used. The goal is to grow the share of wallet – how many services a customer uses. This takes the pressure off acquiring new customers in areas where the customer pool is not growing, and taking subscribers from other operators is costly.
Unlocking Growth Beyond Connectivity
Operational efficiency is often thought of as delivering reduced operating costs. While that is true, there’s more. Boston Consulting Group’s modeling shows that telcos that commit to an AI-first operating model—reimagining customer service and network operations around autonomous agents—can see a 15% boost in EBITDA and a 10% uplift in EBIT, well beyond what cost-cutting pilots alone deliver.
That efficiency-to-revenue pivot is already visible in how operators talk about their own deployments. I’ll talk about how agentic AI is increasingly driving revenue growth for Rakuten Mobile rather than just operational efficiency—the same data and automation foundation, redirected toward a commercial outcome.
I am looking forward to the conversation because new service creation is more critical for MNOs than ever, and it deserves more dialogue and creativity. Every MNO network and circumstance is different, making this an important conversation to have.
If you’re at FutureNet Asia, come by Booth 14. Let’s talk about what’s possible for your network. See you in Singapore!
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