Transforming telecom operations: Overcoming industry challenges with FYLD’s solutions

The UK telecom market is poised for substantial growth, projected to increase from £27.64 billion in 2024 to £34.59 billion by 2029. Yet, this expansion is happening alongside critical telecom infrastructure demands, as 1.5 million people in the UK remain without adequate broadband access. 

With government targets aiming for 85% gigabit broadband coverage by 2025 and full nationwide rollout by 2030, the pressure is mounting on UK telecom operators to meet these goals.

However, growth alone won’t solve the challenges faced by the industry. High Streetworks costs, frequent service strikes, operational inefficiencies, and labour shortages continue to slow progress. 

For the telecom industry, overcoming these barriers presents an opportunity to transform operations and increase efficiency.

The solution? Innovative platforms like FYLD, which provide the operational intelligence and real-time insights essential to navigating these challenges and meeting the demands of a connected future.

Infrastructural challenges facing the UK telecom sector

• Streetworks costs, service strikes, and operational inefficiencies

One of the primary contributors to high network infrastructure costs is Streetworks, which can account for up to 70% of the total cost of fibre broadband deployment. Adding to this issue is the increasing number of service strikes, where essential utilities are accidentally damaged during these operations.

In 2020, there were over 2,070 reported utility strikes, causing millions in damages and delays to key telecom networks projects. These incidents underscore the need for better risk management and operational oversight.

Another critical challenge is the coordination between multiple telecom companies and local authorities, who often work on overlapping infrastructure projects. Local authorities must minimise disruption to residents while coordinating these efforts, which can lead to delays. 

The government has proposed reforms like ‘flexi permits’ to streamline these processes, but opposition from local authorities has delayed implementation. This lack of coordination continues to affect timelines and increase costs for telecom operators.

• Labour shortages and skills gaps

The UK telecom industry faces a significant labour shortage, particularly for skilled workers in network deployment and maintenance roles. The construction industry, for example, is projected to need 251,500 additional workers over the next five years. The telecom sector faces a similar problem, lacking enough skilled workers to support 5G and fibre-optic network rollouts.

These shortages increase costs and delay projects as telecom companies compete for a limited pool of skilled workers. Upskilling the existing workforce and attracting younger talent, such as Gen Z workers, will be critical to overcoming this obstacle.

• Administrative burden and compliance

Telecom companies are burdened with extensive administrative processes related to compliance and field operations. Managing the documentation and audit trails required by regulatory bodies can be time-consuming and complex.

Project managers often struggle with the amount of paperwork needed to stay compliant while keeping up with the fast pace of telecom infrastructure development.

Keeping track of these compliance-related activities adds operational complexity and slows down project timelines. 

The ability to streamline these processes through digital tools and automated reporting is crucial in helping telecom companies stay compliant with regulations and cut costs.

How FYLD helps telecom operators overcome these challenges

• Addressing Streetworks costs, service strikes, and coordination issues

FYLD’s platform provides real-time visibility into field operations, which is critical for reducing the high costs associated with Streetworks and minimising service strikes. For example, in a project with Ferrovial, FYLD helped achieve a 75% reduction in time spent creating Job Safety Analysis (JSA) reports, significantly improving project productivity.

By providing full visibility into operations and enabling smart workflows that streamline permitting, compliance, and safety processes, FYLD has helped operators reduce service strikes by 25%. 

This enhanced visibility not only improves safety for field operatives but also ensures faster project completion and delivers savings by preventing costly infrastructure damage.

Additionally, FYLD enhances coordination between multiple stakeholders—including telecom operators, local authorities, and Tier 1 contractors. 

Tier 1 contractors benefit directly from FYLD’s collaborative platform, which helps them manage contracts more efficiently by improving project visibility and minimising costly mistakes like service strikes.

• Combating labour shortages and skills gaps

FYLD’s remote management capabilities are a key solution to the telecom sector’s labour shortages. By enabling project managers to oversee field operations remotely, FYLD ensures that the existing workforce is utilised more efficiently. 

This reduces the need for constant on-site supervision, allowing workers to operate independently, which mitigates the effects of the skills shortage.

For example, FYLD’s implementation in Trinity’s work on replacing the gas distribution network demonstrated productivity gains of 12.5% by streamlining field team operations, helping to bridge gaps in workforce management.

Moreover, FYLD’s remote management capabilities have allowed project managers to increase their span of control by up to 33%, enabling them to manage more projects with fewer resources. 

This empowers organisations to make better use of their limited workforce, further helping to manage labour shortages.

FYLD’s digital platform also supports continuous training and upskilling, which is essential for attracting a younger, tech-savvy workforce. The increasing adoption of AI and digital tools not only boosts operational efficiency but also transforms the industry’s image, making it more appealing to Gen Z workers.

• Streamlining administrative burdens and compliance

FYLD significantly reduces the administrative burden of managing compliance. By automating JSA reports, safety observations, and equipment inspections, FYLD ensures that telecom companies can maintain comprehensive digital audit trails without the need for extensive manual input. 

This reduces the time spent on documentation and allows operators to focus on improving customer service and meeting telecom infrastructure goals.

In a case study with Ferrovial, the platform helped achieve 100% compliance, improving both safety and administrative efficiency. By streamlining paperwork and providing real-time updates, FYLD helps UK telecom operators stay ahead of regulatory requirements while speeding up project timelines.

Empowering telecoms to overcome industry challenges

The UK telecom industry is grappling with rising costs, service strikes, and labour shortages, making digital transformation essential to stay competitive and meet regulatory demands.

FYLD delivers real-time visibility, automated workflows, and remote management, enabling operators to boost efficiency, cut costs, and streamline operations.

By digitising field operations and reducing administrative burdens, FYLD helps telecom networks keep pace with 5G and fibre-optic rollouts, ensuring long-term success.

Ready to future-proof your telecom operations? Contact FYLD today to drive efficiency and stay ahead.