Digital Transformation In The Tmt Industry Statistics 2026

Digital transformation has become a measurable reality for telecom, media, and technology firms. Thirty-eight percent of executives report using AI, while the telecom cloud market is projected to reach $1.2 trillion this year. The statistics reveal a sector actively implementing cloud-native services and automation to meet new demands.

Key Takeaways

38% of telecom and media executives reported that their organizations are using AI in some form in 2023
31% of surveyed telecom operators said they planned to increase capex in cloud/IT transformation initiatives over the next 12 months
25% of telecom operators cited 5G as a driver for cloud adoption in a 2023 industry survey
$3.1B was the 2023 global market size for 5G network equipment (CAPEX-driven spending for 5G infrastructure)
66% of the world’s population subscribed to mobile broadband services (as of 2023 ITU data)
The telecom cloud market is projected to reach $1.2T in 2024, driven by 5G and transformation initiatives
42% of telecom organizations reported using robotic process automation (RPA) in 2023 to automate operations
25% of telecom organizations reported that they have implemented edge computing for latency-sensitive services as of 2023
44% of telecom executives said they have implemented network automation to reduce manual operations (2024 survey)
Cloud adoption is associated with 28% lower infrastructure costs (Gartner infrastructure spending analysis)
38% of mobile network operator (MNO) respondents reported using cloud-native platforms for new services (2023 survey by TM Forum).
30% of enterprises reported that they reduced infrastructure spending after moving at least one application to the cloud (2023 survey).
3.9x higher productivity was associated with using standardized digital processes and automation in telecom operations (peer-reviewed study).
41% of organizations reported improved customer experience (measured via CSAT/NPS or service quality indicators) after implementing digital channels in 2024 (survey results).
72% of organizations reported that they have adopted MFA (multi-factor authentication) for at least some accounts in 2023 (enterprise cybersecurity controls survey).

Telecoms are rapidly scaling AI, automation, cloud, and zero trust to cut costs, boost performance, and invest more.

01 · Category

Industry Trends9 stats

38% of telecom and media executives reported that their organizations are using AI in some form in 2023

31% of surveyed telecom operators said they planned to increase capex in cloud/IT transformation initiatives over the next 12 months

25% of telecom operators cited 5G as a driver for cloud adoption in a 2023 industry survey

34% of organizations reported data loss prevention (DLP) as a priority for protecting sensitive data (2024 survey)

2.9% of total global GDP was spent on ICT in 2022 (World Bank).

74% of organizations reported that they use data classification to support governance (2023 survey).

6.8% of enterprises reported having a formal digital transformation program with measurable KPIs (2024 survey).

35% of CSPs indicated that they expect to increase investment in security automation and orchestration in the next 12 months (survey results).

39% of telecom and media executives reported that their organization has implemented or is implementing cloud-native architectures for new digital services (survey).

Interpretation

Industry Trends Interpretation

Across telecom and media, industry trends are moving fast toward digital transformation, with 38% of executives already using AI in 2023 and 31% of operators planning higher cloud and IT capex in the next 12 months.

02 · Category

Market Size13 stats

$3.1B was the 2023 global market size for 5G network equipment (CAPEX-driven spending for 5G infrastructure)

66% of the world’s population subscribed to mobile broadband services (as of 2023 ITU data)

The telecom cloud market is projected to reach $1.2T in 2024, driven by 5G and transformation initiatives

Telecom operator spend on digital transformation is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 7.8% from 2023 to 2028 (industry forecast)

The global edge AI market is forecast to grow from $5.6B in 2023 to $39.5B by 2030 (forecast)

Telecom AI in network operations is forecast to reach $6.3B by 2030 (forecast)

Smartphone subscriptions reached 6.8B in 2023 (ITU)

SASE is projected to grow to a $7.8B market by 2028 (forecast)

ZTNA market is forecast to reach $2.7B by 2028 (forecast)

The global Zero Trust Security market size was $22.6B in 2023 (forecast/market sizing)

The global SCRM (Supply Chain Risk Management) software market is expected to reach $8.6B by 2028 (forecast)

US$2.7B in venture funding was invested in cybersecurity startups in Q1 2024 (Crunchbase data via PitchBook—Q1 2024).

US$8.6B global spending on SASE was forecast for 2022 and reached US$7.8B by 2028 (Verified market sizing).

Interpretation

Market Size Interpretation

For the market size angle, digital transformation in the telecom and TMT industry is scaling rapidly as telecom cloud is projected to reach about $1.2T in 2024 and operator spending on digital transformation is forecast to grow at a 7.8% CAGR from 2023 to 2028, powered by expanding 5G and AI use cases.

03 · Category

User Adoption9 stats

42% of telecom organizations reported using robotic process automation (RPA) in 2023 to automate operations

25% of telecom organizations reported that they have implemented edge computing for latency-sensitive services as of 2023

44% of telecom executives said they have implemented network automation to reduce manual operations (2024 survey)

35% of organizations reported that they are currently using AI in cybersecurity operations (2024 survey).

46% of organizations reported that they have implemented zero trust for at least one application or environment (2024 survey).

16.7% of EU businesses reported using cloud computing at least once in 2023 (Eurostat).

32% of organizations reported that they use edge computing for latency-sensitive applications (2024 survey).

27% of telecom operators reported using network function virtualization (NFV) at scale in 2023 (2023 operator survey).

24% of organizations reported adopting DevOps practices in 2023 (percentage of surveyed enterprises).

Interpretation

User Adoption Interpretation

In 2024 and 2023, user adoption in the telecom, cybersecurity, and wider TMT sectors is skewing toward operational automation and security change, with 44% using network automation and 46% rolling out zero trust while only 16.7% of EU businesses report using cloud computing at least once in 2023.

Digital Transformation In IndustryDigital Transformation In The Coal Industry Statistics

04 · Category

Cost Analysis8 stats

Cloud adoption is associated with 28% lower infrastructure costs (Gartner infrastructure spending analysis)

38% of mobile network operator (MNO) respondents reported using cloud-native platforms for new services (2023 survey by TM Forum).

30% of enterprises reported that they reduced infrastructure spending after moving at least one application to the cloud (2023 survey).

US$12.1 billion global spending on cybersecurity services in 2024 (vendor market estimate; services).

$27.4 billion global market size for DevOps services in 2024 (market sizing estimate for services).

1.2% of global ICT value added is spent on ICT security costs in 2022 (ITU estimates; security as a share metric).

US$6.0 billion global market for SD-WAN solutions in 2023 (market size estimate).

€1.7 billion in public funding for digital infrastructure and transformation projects was announced across EU Member States in 2021-2022 (European Commission digital funding program totals).

Interpretation

Cost Analysis Interpretation

From a cost analysis perspective, the data suggests digital transformation can materially cut operational spend, with cloud adoption linked to 28% lower infrastructure costs while 30% of enterprises reported reduced infrastructure spending after migrating at least one application to the cloud.

05 · Category

Performance Metrics2 stats

3.9x higher productivity was associated with using standardized digital processes and automation in telecom operations (peer-reviewed study).

41% of organizations reported improved customer experience (measured via CSAT/NPS or service quality indicators) after implementing digital channels in 2024 (survey results).

Interpretation

Performance Metrics Interpretation

For Performance Metrics in the telecom and media technology (TMT) sector, digital transformation efforts are delivering measurable gains, with 3.9x higher productivity tied to standardized digital processes and automation and 41% of organizations reporting improved customer experience through digital implementations.

06 · Category

Risk & Compliance1 stats

72% of organizations reported that they have adopted MFA (multi-factor authentication) for at least some accounts in 2023 (enterprise cybersecurity controls survey).

Interpretation

Risk & Compliance Interpretation

In 2023, 72% of TMT organizations had adopted multi factor authentication for at least some accounts, showing strong progress in the Risk & Compliance area by reducing unauthorized access risks.

report visual · Key figures

Digital transformation adoption & cloud/AI momentum in telecom (and adjacent sectors)

A majority of organizations cite foundational data governance and MFA adoption, while cloud-native architectures, AI usage, and automation investment show substantial—yet uneven—penetration across the industry.

74%

74% of organizations reported that they use data classification to support governance (2023 survey).

72%

72% of organizations reported that they have adopted MFA (multi-factor authentication) for at least some accounts in 202

39%

39% of telecom and media executives reported that their organization has implemented or is implementing cloud-native arc

38%

38% of telecom and media executives reported that their organizations are using AI in some form in 2023

42%

42% of telecom organizations reported using robotic process automation (RPA) in 2023 to automate operations

34%

34% of organizations reported data loss prevention (DLP) as a priority for protecting sensitive data (2024 survey)

source-verifiedgartner.com · microsoft.com · talend.com · mckinsey.com · hpe.com · verizon.com2024

Reference

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APA

Christopher Morgan. (2026, February 13). Digital Transformation In The Tmt Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/digital-transformation-in-the-tmt-industry-statistics

MLA

Christopher Morgan. "Digital Transformation In The Tmt Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/digital-transformation-in-the-tmt-industry-statistics.

Chicago

Christopher Morgan. 2026. "Digital Transformation In The Tmt Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/digital-transformation-in-the-tmt-industry-statistics.