AI
Thursday 5 February 2026
AI, Efficiency
and profit
AI could profoundly affect European telcos’ profitability: the industry massive capital requirements so small improvements in returns on capital employed (ROCE) and opex can translate into big numbers.
ING says European telcos’ capex was some €50 billion in 2024: in that year, the European Telecommunications Network Operators Association (ETNO) said return on capital employed (ROCE) fell from 9.1% in 2017 to 5.8% in 2022; Kearney reckoned it dropped from 6.7% in 2014 to 5.9% in 2023.
“The European telecommunication sector has among the lowest…ROCE in Europe, alongside the highest capital investment demands. This has resulted in ROCE being below weighted average cost of capital (WACC) for over a decade, impacting total shareholder returns.”
Margherita della Valle, CEO, Vodafone Group, May 2023, earnings call for Annual Report 2023
ING says European telcos’ capex was some €50 billion in 2024: in that year, the European Telecommunications Network Operators Association (ETNO) said return on capital employed (ROCE) fell from 9.1% in 2017 to 5.8% in 2022; Kearney reckoned it dropped from 6.7% in 2014 to 5.9% in 2023.
“The European telecommunication sector has among the lowest…ROCE in Europe, alongside the highest capital investment demands. This has resulted in ROCE being below weighted average cost of capital (WACC) for over a decade, impacting total shareholder returns.”
Margherita della Valle, CEO, Vodafone Group, May 2023, earnings call for Annual Report 2023
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09:30AM | OPENING REMARKS
09:35AM | OPERATOR KEYNOTE
An operator’s point of view
- Where are the biggest immediate savings
- Is AI accelerating progress
- What are the greatest challenges to progress?
José María Ramón Pardo
Autonomous Networks & AI Senior Manager
TelefOnica
10:05AM | IN CONVERSATION
A vendor's point of view
- AI for operators, not just consumers
- Why automation is a necessity, not a luxury
- From today to autonomous operations
Estanislao Utrilla
VP Customer Support and Operations
Openwave
Session sponsor
10:35AM | PANEL DISCUSSION
Where we are today, successes, challenges and future opportunities
- Why do we think it will be different this time in terms of the bottom line?
- What have operators learned so far?
- What are their major areas of activity now?
- Next steps
Moderator: Inderpreet Kaur
Sr. Analyst Service Provider Transformation
OMDIA
Afnan Ahmed
Director Technology Strategy and Architecture
Telenor
José Palma
Head of Network Strategy
MEO
Beatriz Ortega
EMEA Telco Business Development Manager
Red Hat
Session sponsor
11:25AM | AUDIENCE Q&A
A chance to put your questions to the speakers
11:30AM | END
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