DTW Ignite 2025 Wrap-Up: Telecom Must Rediscover Its North Star
It was this: What does real, meaningful change look like for telco?
And the answers, scattered across stages, Catalyst booths, and private side rooms, painted a picture that’s both urgent and exhilarating.
ODA is Not a Strategy
The Open Digital Architecture may offer a framework for execution, yes. But let’s not mistake plumbing for purpose. ODA won’t manufacture relevance. And it certainly won’t spark the next wave of growth.
If telcos want to escape the gravitational pull of stagnation, they must start looking beyond their own perimeter. Strategy is not built in back-end migration timelines. It’s born in bold bets and external partnerships.
Telecom really needs to find its North Star again
What became glaringly obvious in Copenhagen is this: selling connectivity is no longer a viable business model. The modern telco must move beyond “more gigs, less cost.” That game is not only dull, but also a race to zero. Instead, operators are being called to sell context. Experiences. Intelligence. Meaning.
The leading players are not doubling down on data plans. They’re building digital ecosystems. Not pipe providers. But experience platforms.
Many vendors brought AI-powered orchestration and agent-based hype. But strip away the gloss, and the message was unmissable: The telco of tomorrow must be smart, seamless, and entirely unrecognisable from its former self.
“Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
Indeed. And we shouldn’t want to go back.
Telcos should move on from selling only gigabytes and start selling meaning. The now ubiquitous phrase “customer lifestyle partner” isn’t just brochure-fodder. It’s a survival imperative. Today’s subscriber doesn’t want a bigger bucket of data. They want relevance, convenience, and resonance.
And that’s prompting better questions:
How can telcos integrate any innovative idea into their offer, beyond OTT, digital ID ... think wellness, home energy services and more into a coherent whole? How do we deliver value that’s felt, not merely invoiced? How do we make our users say: “Yes, this brand gets me”?
Telecom operators already have their foot in everyone's home, how do they now become the hub to their customers’ digital lifestyle?
At triPica, these aren’t hypotheticals. They’re the questions we’ve helped answer for nearly a decade.
Because ultimately, they lead to the real question: What’s the bold move telcos can take?
Energy: The Boldest (and Most Obvious) Next Move
Here’s a hint: it already exists. In Germany. In Denmark. And now, in Italy.
If utility providers can sell telecom services, why on earth aren’t telcos returning the favour? Energy is not a distraction; it’s a natural extension.
triPica has been enabling utilities and telecoms alike to monetise innovation since 2016. From usage-based energy billing to digital-first mobile offers, we’ve seen what’s possible when operators stop treating verticals as silos and start treating them as opportunities.
This is the moment for telcos to stop asking “why energy?” and start asking “why not us?”
Final Thought
DTW Ignite didn’t just showcase technologies, it tested our appetite for change.
Plenty of visitors at DTW asked us: Who is triPica really for?
The answer is disarmingly simple: we’re for the bold with a courage to say:
“Let’s build new. Let’s move fast. Let’s reimagine how we engage with our customers”
And here’s the uncomfortable truth: this industry won’t be saved by yet another transformation programme.
A leap toward relevance. Toward modern, clean platforms that scale in weeks, not years.
To those ready to leap, we’ve built the runway.
Let’s fly.
