Transforming Telecom Business Process with Real-Time Agentic Automation

How Real-Time Agentic Automation Is Transforming the Business Processes of Telecom Providers

October 2025 ©TrustPortal

The call centre agent leans closer to the screen; five systems open, three passwords forgotten, one irate customer on hold. Somewhere between billing, provisioning and complaints management, the process has broken down. For many telecoms providers, this moment encapsulates a decades-old dilemma: world-class networks sitting on top of outdated, tangled business processes. This is the space where real-time agentic automation now proves its worth; simplifying operations, scaling efficiency, and restoring the promise of speed that telecommunications was built on.

The Legacy Labyrinth

Telecom operations have always been complex; yet legacy systems have made them unwieldy. Many providers operate hundreds of interconnected platforms;billing, CRM, order management, provisioning - layered over decades of mergers, regulatory changes and bespoke IT projects.

Accenture reports that 60% of telco executives believe their ability to monetise new networks is blocked by legacy IT systems; while Uniridge Consulting estimates that up to 80% of telecom IT budgets are consumed simply maintaining those systems.

Industry by the Numbers

• 60% of telco leaders cite legacy systems as their biggest obstacle to growth (Accenture, 2024).• 80% of telecom IT spend goes to maintenance, not innovation (Uniridge, 2024).• 84% of CSPs fear missing future revenue opportunities if they fail to modernise (Accenture, 2024).

Why Real-Time Agentic Automation Works

Real-time agentic automation does not replace people; it augments them. It acts as an intelligent orchestration layer above existing systems; coordinating tasks, validating data and ensuring that every part of the business process operates in synchrony. At its heart, it connects legacy without destroying it. It listens to every event across platforms; new orders, billing changes, fault alerts, complaint escalations and triggers the correct sequence of actions immediately.

How It Simplifies Complexity

• Orchestration Layer: Sits above legacy OSS/BSS to harmonise systems• Agentic Support: Automation acts under human supervision, not autonomy• Event Driven: Every customer action triggers a real-time process, not a scheduled one• Shared State: Internal teams and partners see identical information simultaneously• Compliance and Control: All activity is logged automatically, ensuring audit readiness.

The Economic Case for Change

Automation without evidence is conjecture but the numbers are increasingly clear. An ISG report cites a global telecom operator achieving a 10× ROI within four months of deploying automation. Cognizant identifies process simplification as the leading path to 40% lower IT spend and threefold acceleration of time-to-market. Ericsson reports CSPs expecting 5-10% operational ROI from intelligent automation in live operations. Telefonica achieved a 30% cost reductions after integrating automation throughout their CX process.

ROI Benchmarks

• 10× ROI within four months (ISG, 2023).• 40% reduction in IT spend with process simplification (Cognizant, 2024)• 5–10% ROI uplift in operational automation (Ericsson, 2024)

The Real Meaning of “Real-Time”

Many vendors promise real-time automation; few deliver it. In most cases, “real-time” means frequent data polling or near-instant synchronisation. The difference lies in where and how the orchestration operates. TrustPortal’s platform functions at the orchestration layer within the customer’s infrastructure; integrating directly with existing OSS, BSS, and CRM environments.

This capability - true real-time automation across legacy systems, is what sets it apart. Because TrustPortal overlays existing technology rather than replacing it, deployment is rapid and non-disruptive. Measurable gains are typically achieved within weeks, not months.

Upscaling the Business, Not Just Automating It

The outcome extends beyond efficiency. Real-time agentic automation makes telecoms providers scalable again. It allows them to handle higher service volumes without new headcount; to launch new offers quickly; and to maintain control over a growing network of delivery partners.

Conclusion

Telecoms mastered real-time decades ago in their networks. Their next leap is to bring that same responsiveness to their own operations. Real-time agentic automation allows that leap without upheaval; connecting what already exists; empowering the people who make it work; and delivering measurable returns in weeks.

For more on how TrustPortal and Telefonica, go to: https://www.trustportal.org/post/case-study-hyperautomating-the-contact-centre-to-transform-digital-experiences