To successfully transform telecom operators in Latin America, it’s essential to focus on core operational challenges, move quickly with purpose, and build sustainable change

Telecom operators across Latin America face global pressures such as shrinking margins in a commoditized market, the convergence of traditional and emerging services, and the growing role of AI in value creation.

But the region also presents unique challenges:

• Slower progress in automating and digitizing core operations, partly due to relatively low labor costs.

• A fragmented regulatory landscape that hinders the standardization of processes and technologies.

• Greater profitability pressure driven by a customer base with lower purchasing power.

On top of this, the past five years have seen a wave of industry consolidation led by América Móvil, Millicom, and Liberty Latin America. These mergers and acquisitions have added complexity to operational and organizational transformation initiatives.

Strategies to accelerate operational transformation in the telco sector

C-level leaders at Latin American telecom operators face two major hurdles when it comes to transforming operations and delivering measurable value.

1. Identify and prioritize key operational issues

Many telcos have invested in digitalization without seeing a clear impact on the bottom line. The key is to identify processes that have the highest impact on cost, revenue, and customer experience, and to define a realistic transformation roadmap that aligns across the organization.

2. Execute quickly without losing focus

To capture early value, telcos must avoid analysis paralysis. Agile execution is critical—moving from strategy to action while maintaining operational quality and managing the human side of change. Transformation is not just about systems and processes—it’s also about people.

At Nae, we’ve helped clients across the region tackle both challenges, guiding them in identifying opportunities, structuring their transformation plans, and implementing initiatives with speed and flexibility.

Keys to a sustainable operational transformation in telecom

One of the most effective levers we’ve found is prioritizing the resolution of basic operational challenges—an approach we call “fix the basics.”

This strategy delivers immediate efficiency gains while laying the foundation for broader, strategic initiatives. Addressing fundamental issues first prevents investing in projects that fail to deliver due to missing enablers like stable systems, processes, or trained teams.

To ensure execution aligns with business goals, telcos should:

• Adopt flexible, self-organizing work models

• Foster clear, consistent internal communication

• Create collaborative spaces that drive cross-functional innovation

Leadership commitment and team empowerment are essential. Ongoing training and capability building help create a culture of continuous learning and enable agile rollout.

Another key lever is impact measurement. Having reliable data on customer behavior, satisfaction, and business performance helps telcos prioritize their backlog and adjust strategies fast.

Lastly, embedding innovation within operations ensures change is sustainable. This integration avoids organizational fatigue and maintains balance between transformation and ongoing operations.

Aligning these efforts with core operational processes allows telecom companies to create real, lasting value—and not just keep up with change, but lead it with clarity, differentiation, and a strong customer focus.