RTBrick's research warns that operators are at risk of being “overwhelmed” by the demands of artificial intelligence (AI) and bandwidth streaming services over the next five years.
Carrier Routing Software Provider Disassembly state Between January 31 and February 24, 2025, the study was conducted independently by Vanson Bourne to identify the key drivers and barriers that were classified for network rollouts. The findings are based on responses from 200 senior communications decision makers in the US, UK and Australia representing operation, engineering and strategy in an organization with between 100 and 5,000 employees.
The research identifies issues with people and processes, not just technology. Consumer expectations were rising faster than networks designed to meet them.
The survey shows that around nine in 10 operators (87%) expect customers to demand significantly higher broadband speeds by 2030, but believe that those customers will pay more for it (79%). However, half of all leaders admit that they are still not confident in providing services at viable costs. While 84% reported that customers' expectations are already exceeding their networks, 81% admitted that their current architecture is not approaching the next wave of AI and streaming traffic.
Rtbrick's research suggests it works in an industry that knows what to do and has a budget to do it but is struggling to do it. 93% of respondents found that the “difference” complexity of operational transformation continues, from redesigning architecture and workflows to recalibration of network monitoring, automation and support methods (42%) following the decisive support of leadership and lack of appetite. and a significant shortage of professional skills and staff required to design, deploy and operate next-generation networks (38%).
All leaders surveyed also argue that organizations use or plan AI in their network operations, from planning and optimization to failure resolution. Half (50%) said that infrastructure needs to be AI ready, while 37% emphasized the urgent need for more powerful real-time analytics capabilities to realize the true potential of AI. However, nine in ten (93%) say they cannot unlock the full value of AI without richer real-time network data. This requires a more open, modular, software-driven architecture through a disassembled, less complex network.
When asked what disassembly expected to provide, operators focused on results that were mapped directly to board-level priorities. About 54% wanted more automation and stronger supply chain resilience. Additionally, 51% wanted better energy efficiency, while 48% looked for lower CAPEX and OPEX. It was the third person who wanted to break the supplier lock-in. Transformation priorities coincided with these goals, with automation and agility (57%) being ranked first, followed by supplier flexibility (55%), cost-effectiveness and sustainability (45%).
Another important discovery was the overwhelming appetite for modernisation. Approximately 91% of the survey are thought to be willing to invest in networks with fewer decomposed networks, with 95% saying they plan to roll out within five years, and 90% saying it needs to occur faster than is currently planned.
But the execution continued to pursue ambition. We confirmed that one in 50 senior leaders are currently deployed, but 49% remained in early stage exploration, with 38% still in planning.
Operators AT&T, Deutsche Telekom and Comcast have already shown to be actively deploying decompositions on a large scale, showing faster rollouts, greater operational controls, and true supplier flexibility, widening the gap between those still hesitant. Rtbrick said their lead sent a clear signal to the rest of the market. As demand surges beyond current network limits, the current breakdown is adopted or the risk remains.
“The senior leaders, engineers and support staff within the operators have made the emotions clear. The bottleneck is not capacity, it's decision-making,” said Pravin S Bhandarkar, CEO and founder of RTBrick. “Decomposed networks are no longer experiments. They are the foundation of agility, scalability, and transparency operators to thrive in a heavy future with AI-driven streaming.”
