Telco 2035: the operator as the link between person, device, payment and service

Not “super app for everything”

The most common prediction about telecom is that “the operator becomes a super app”. This is a simplification. A super app requires frequency, merchants, a financial licence and cultural conditions that in Central Asia only partially come together. By 2035 the picture will be different, and it will not match the Indian, Chinese or African super-app model.

In Central Asia — particularly in Uzbekistan — there are several structural factors that shape an alternative future. High internet penetration (94%+). Strong fintech (Click, Payme, Apelsin, Uzum) that has occupied the payment slot. A regulatory environment that is actively digitising (biometrics in 2026, AI strategy 2030). A large state digital presence (My.gov, OneID). Several large operators (Beeline, Ucell, Mobiuz, Uzmobile, Humans) with established market positions.

In this environment “operator as super app” is not the most likely outcome. The most likely outcome is the operator as an infrastructure layer for other digital products — banks, fintech, government, e-commerce. A less flashy role, but more durable and potentially more profitable on a long horizon.

Four directions to 2035

Trust infrastructure

The operator owns unique trust signals — SIM, device, number, behavioural patterns. By 2035 these signals will be a standard part of the anti-fraud architecture in banking, fintech and e-commerce in the region.

What to do by 2030. Build a consent management framework. Decide which signals can be safely shared with partners. Sign first contracts with banks and payment platforms on a trust API. Reach a volume that makes the direction a stand-alone P&L block.

What happens by 2035 if executed correctly. Some 5-15% of the operator’s revenue comes from trust API revenue independent of tariffs. A buffer against the commodity trend in connectivity.

Data infrastructure for the digital economy

The operator has data on geolocation, mobility, density and behavioural patterns at country scale. This data is a potential product for urban planning, retail expansion, marketing analytics, government.

What to do by 2030. Anonymised data products. A compliance-first architecture (no identifiable data on the output). Contracts with city administrations, retailers, transport companies.

What happens by 2035. Data products become a stand-alone business unit with margin above connectivity. Regulation will be strict, but with the right operating model the segment grows.

B2B and SME platform

Small and medium business in Uzbekistan is growing. By 2035 it will be a much larger segment than today. The operator that lays a good platform for SME — connectivity, payments, POS, cybersecurity, basic IT services — captures a meaningful share of this segment’s budget.

What to do by 2030. SME digital cabinet. Provider partnerships. Pricing for bundles. Sales oriented at SME, not B2C.

What happens by 2035. B2B becomes 30-40% of revenue (up from 15-20% today at most operators). Not a fast pivot, ten years of gradual rebuild of sales and product organisation.

Connectivity-as-a-service for specific verticals

Standard mobile connectivity becomes fully commodity. But connectivity for specific use cases (IoT in logistics, fixed wireless in remote areas, private 5G for enterprises, edge compute for retail) does not.

What to do by 2030. Pilot projects in several verticals. Understand unit economics and which verticals pay back. Specialised sales for each vertical.

What happens by 2035. Specialised connectivity becomes 10-20% of revenue at higher margin than commodity mobile.

What will not happen

“All operators will become banks”. Licensing is hard, competition from existing banks and fintech is strong, and most telcos do not have the management DNA for a financial business. There will be exceptions (one or two players may launch a full telco-bank), but it will not become the norm.

“5G will deliver a new wave of revenue”. 5G is infrastructure modernisation, not a source of new revenue for most operators. The reality is capacity and quality, not consumer monetisation. B2B use cases (private network, IoT) will produce revenue, but that is a different bet from “5G for everyone”.

“AI will replace employees”. AI will replace part of routine tasks (already happening in support). But “the company without employees” is a far-future scenario, not 2035. By 2035 AI will be augmentation, not replacement, in most functions.

“The operator becomes a content provider”. Content is a media business with different economics. Telcos that tried (Vodafone, Telefonica with their TV projects) ended disappointed. Content is more expensive than connectivity and does not scale as expected.

What risks lie on the path

Regulatory. Each of the four directions requires regulatory work. Trust API — work with the personal data regulator. Data products — regulation around anonymisation. B2B SME platform — tax and legal nuances per segment. Specialised connectivity — spectrum and licences for specific applications. Telcos that do not invest in regulatory affairs will fall behind.

Strategic. Each direction needs continuing investment for 5-10 years. If a CEO or strategy changes mid-way — the direction dies. Continuity of strategy is governance, not technology.

Talent. Trust officer, data product manager, SME sales lead — these are rare roles in Uzbekistan in 2026. By 2030 teams of 20-50 people per direction will be needed. Talent acquisition and development is a separate major project.

Capital. Direction transformation requires CapEx and OpEx. If the board demands annual net profit growth without a dip, investments in new directions get cut. That is a shareholder conversation about strategy, not tactics.

Competition. If one or two operators begin moving in trust/data/B2B and the rest do not, the market may consolidate around the leader. Late mover advantage does not exist in these directions.

What to do in 2026-2027

This is not the distant future. A decade is ten years of investments that start with a small first-year pilot. What needs to happen in the next 24 months.

Position audit. Where is the operator strongest among the four directions? One operator may have a data advantage (large base, good infrastructure). Another — B2B (historically large corporate base). A third — trust (close existing relationships with bank partners).

Pilot one direction. Not four in parallel — one. A 6-12 month pilot with real economics and measurable milestones. If it works — expand. If not — draw conclusions and try the second.

Talent investment. Find 1-2 senior roles that understand the chosen direction. More expensive than ready junior teams, but worth it.

Governance. Create an internal board or committee that tracks progress on the direction. Without this the initiative is diluted between daily priorities.

When the 2035 strategy is not for your operator

If the board focuses on 1-2 year results, the 2035 direction does not fit. It requires patience and continuity.

If the operator is small (under 1 million active subscribers), all four directions may not pay back. Basic connectivity and core operations is a realistic focus.

If the management team has no role devoted to strategy beyond operational matters, a transformation on a 10-year horizon will not get through. Long-term thinking is a separate competency.

If the CapEx budget is tight and spent on network maintenance and basic expansion, investments in new directions will be cut at the first quarterly miss. Real transformation needs a protected CapEx envelope.

Discussion at a strategic session

Where is our unique position in each of the four directions? Not “we will be strong” but “we already have an actively used asset competitors do not”. Without such an asset the position has to be built from scratch, which is significantly more expensive.

On a 2030 horizon, which 1-2 directions are realistic to develop as stand-alone P&L blocks? All four — too ambitious for 4-5 years. A choice is needed.

What 3-5 large decisions need to be taken this year to open the path to the chosen directions? Operational attribution of the 2035 strategy to today.

What is our willingness to invest in this transformation across short-term results? A shareholder conversation, and it should not be deferred.

How SamaraliSoft can help

Telco 2035 Strategy & Vision Sprint — analysis of the operator’s position across the four directions, selection of 1-2 priority directions for the coming 5 years, design of a 2026-2027 first-year roadmap, talent and governance plan, and an honest set of go/no-go criteria. Not “we draw the future for you” but “we frame your decisions on facts”.

Related reading

• /en/insights/telecom-growth-after-connectivity/ — where to find growth in 2026-2035
• /en/solutions/telecom-trust-platform-cornerstone/ — the operator as a trust layer
• /en/insights/telecom-wallet-trap/ — when wallet is a trap
• /en/insights/telecom-ai-native/ — AI in telecom

Sources

• Digital Government Portal — state of digital infrastructure UZ
• Ministry of Digital Technologies — telecom infrastructure UZ
• UzDaily — telecom market
• Central Bank of Uzbekistan — biometric verification for digital banking
• MNP.UZ — number portability