'Are You Still There?': How AI Twins Can Fix Telco Service
For anyone in the telecommunications industry, customer service is a recurring challenge. Ofcom research reveals that nearly one in seven UK mobile customers and almost one in four broadband customers found reasons to complain in 2024, painting a picture of widespread dissatisfaction.
The level of unhappiness is both an industry concern and a wake-up call for operators eager to retain and engage customers.
Matthew Styles, Client Partner at MMT Digital, highlights the urgent need for transformation in telco customer service. He explains how AI-backed digital twin technology can shift telcos from reactive firefighting to proactive issue resolution and ultimately redefine customer experience.
Telcos must contend with growing expectations while working with service models that often react to problems rather than anticipate them.
However, a transformative solution is emerging: AI-powered digital twin technology. Incorporating real-time analytics and predictive modelling, digital twins could turn telco customer service from reactive patchwork into a proactive and value-added advantage.
Telcos and digital twins: A perfect match
"Digital twin technology allows for the development of a dynamic, virtual representation of telecoms networks," explains Matthew.
"These simulations capture real-world processes and allow operators to test configurations, stress conditions, or even failure scenarios – all without touching the live environment."
With expansive infrastructure and vast operational datasets, telcos are in an ideal position to unlock significant value from digital twins. The technology lets companies run 'what-if' scenarios, fine-tune configurations, schedule low-impact maintenance and spot vulnerabilities before they escalate.
"Digital twins can enable the conditions for a truly reactive customer experience. But this evolves to the next level when paired with AI analytics," Matthew says.
"Each run of a digital twin produces a vast trove of data on network performance. AI can enable this to be processed at scale. Anomalies are spotted ahead of time, faults forecasted, and it can even suggest the best course of action to fix issues."
Predictions drawn from digital twins mean that maintenance and troubleshooting no longer rely solely on human vigilance or waiting for customer complaints.
Instead, networks can detect issues before they become service-impacting, summon support teams automatically, and even pre-emptively notify customers. The result is fewer surprises, faster resolutions, and heightened customer trust.
Beyond the support queue: Opportunities for innovation
AI-backed digital twins don't just transform operations; they create new possibilities for revenue and strategic growth. As the sector shifts towards comprehensive technology provision rather than pure connectivity, service personalisation and dynamic pricing are key.
By analysing network usage patterns with advanced AI, telcos can dynamically adjust offerings, from upselling premium connectivity in peak periods to delivering bespoke bundles tailored for individual consumption.
Operator agility moves front and centre. The adoption of AI and digital twins allows telcos to schedule maintenance during quieter times, driving down costs and improving reliability.
Matthew says: "This means a telco could detect a fault ahead of it becoming a service-impacting incident, automatically alerting support teams and initiating procedures to fix the issue. To customers, it would look like a notification explaining a minor disruption and offering a remedy before they've dialled in to complain."
In short, telcos can move beyond simply defending against complaints. With the proactive insight offered by digital twins and AI, service becomes a differentiator, producing measurable improvements in the customer journey and reinforcing brand reputation.
MMT Digital: Digital experience in telecommunications
Matthew believes that MMT’s digital and technology expertise can help support companies in a new era for telecommunications.
“MMT is a digital experience agency, where we work with ambitious brands to create digital experiences that ultimately help unlock business growth and drive impact.”
The company operates across three core service areas: Meaningful Experiences (connecting digital ecosystems), Innovative Products (conceiving, designing, and building the products of the future), and Accelerated Transformation (ensuring clients are future-ready).
Implementation and challenges
Of course, the transition to digital twin and AI-enriched customer service models requires more than just software deployment. Telcos must invest in advanced analytics, train skilled teams, and focus intently on data privacy and cybersecurity during implementation.
"It demands upfront investment, analytics capabilities and skilled teams that can manage and interpret datasets, plus an increased focus on data privacy and cyber security to protect data during implementation," Matthew says.
For operators, partnering with digital specialists like MMT ensures best practices and regulatory compliance throughout the transformation.
Telcos stand at the threshold of a customer service revolution. By integrating AI-powered digital twins, operators can shed the spectre of slow support and unresolved complaints.
Customers will benefit from immediate alerts, clear communication and minimal disruption, before they even ask, "Are you still there?"
Delivering truly excellent customer service is not just possible, but within reach. As the sector moves forward, those who embrace the innovations will reap rewards with loyalty, growth and a reputation for putting customers first.