Key insights
The ability for service providers to differentiate connectivity services – for example, by providing latency guarantees, priority services, security enhancements, immersive experiences, or connectivity targeting specific situations and locations or app categories – is changing with the introduction of 5G SA.
A broad review of the global service provider landscape reveals a striking shift in the pace and scale of commercial service offering launches that are based on differentiated connectivity. In the latest study, covering over 300 service providers across 134 markets, a significantly higher number of launches was found compared to previous studies.
The findings point to a market transitioning from proof-of-concept trials to commercial services that serve real customers in diverse contexts. This shift has been driven by advances in network capabilities and greater confidence among service providers, with an increasing willingness to explore new monetization models beyond traditional data and speed tiers. The extent of engagement is notable, with many service providers now active in several categories simultaneously. This demonstrates scalability, market validation and confidence in the commercial viability of service offerings based on differentiated connectivity. Out of 118 such offerings, 55 percent are commercially available.
Figure 15: Global instances of network slicing
Of the network slicing use cases found, 65 are commercial offerings.
Learning to communicate benefits
One recurring challenge identified by service providers, particularly in the consumer market, is how to explain new offers in terms that resonate with their customers. Selling “more gigabytes” or “faster speeds” is familiar territory – but telling the story of latency guarantees for gamers, uninterrupted HD streaming at live events, or priority service for emergency communications requires a more benefits-led approach. Customers respond more strongly when the offer is tied clearly to their personal experience, a specific app or situational need.
Speed, bandwidth, general performance or stability improvements are still being highlighted as user benefits in 86 of the cases based on network slicing. There are some new areas being highlighted, however, like latency (48 percent) or improved experiences when using a specific service or app (38 percent). In many cases, multiple benefits are communicated and combined to enhance the value proposition.
The word “guarantee” has seldom been used in marketing by service providers, but 22 cases express some form of performance guarantee. These could be guarantees for a maximum latency for gamers, minimum bandwidth on Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) or when using video conferencing, or for businesses buying a “productivity slice” with the mobile private network (MPN/VPN) solution. As described in a previous article, delivering a proposition at just the right moment can be very important.[1] A striking example involves a service provider that utilized a direct in-app promotional strategy (displaying a pop-up within a partner app) that generated 95 percent of its sales for a specific package, making it 20 times more efficient than any other channel. Many offers blended benefits, combining speed, priority and security messages to enhance perceived value.
Momentum is real and global
The data from the study paints a positive picture: Differentiated connectivity is no longer a speculative field, it is a growing commercial reality across regions and sectors. The fact that Europe is catching up fast, the scale of multi-segment engagement among service providers, and the proven impact of innovative marketing all point toward a market entering a new phase.
The challenge may no longer be whether these services can be launched, but how best to communicate their unique benefits to users, transforming technical capabilities into experiences and outcomes that customers truly value and are willing to purchase.
