The race for speed is over, and the race to deliver value has begun.
With broadband access set to be a $400 billion global market by 2030, it has become the most critical fixed residential segment for telecom operators. However, nearly all this growth is driven by increasing subscriptions, which are approaching saturation in mature markets as household penetration reaches its limit. To sustain revenue growth, telcos must now focus on increasing the average revenue per user (ARPU) through innovative value-added services beyond just broadband subscriptions.
In partnership with the Broadband Forum and Omdia, Incognito is a proud sponsor of the 'Future of the Connected Home' report—a vital resource providing insights on the latest technologies, strategies, and standards shaping the next generation of broadband value-added services. The report features analysis from 116 telecom executives across 32 countries and in-depth qualitative interviews.
The 2025 research provided insight into several specific areas of interest:
- Quality Wi-Fi and Experience Management are Critical: Home Wi-Fi quality and network optimization are top priorities for telcos, with new investment flowing rapidly into hardware, application management, and proactive issue resolution.
- Cybersecurity and Parental Controls Drive Willingness to Pay: Advanced security and parental controls are among the most valued services, yet most telcos still face challenges in successful monetization—find out why and what to do about it.
- AI has an Important Role to Play: Artificial intelligence has been deployed in a third of homes, and forward-thinking operators are looking to leverage AI in customer premises equipment to drive real-time analytics, network optimization, energy efficiency, and smart home functionalities.
- Vendor Partnerships and Standards Lead the Way: Most operators look to off-the-shelf VAS ecosystems and open standards for scalable, vendor-agnostic deployment. The Broadband Forum's User Services Platform (USP) remains one of the most important standards, as 88% of respondents have deployed or are planning to deploy USP within the next 18 months.
