Cybersecurity: the new foundation of trust in telecoms?

Why telcos need to evolve beyond speed, price and signal to stay relevant

For years, telecom providers have competed on the same three levers: price, speed and coverage. But that strategy is losing power.

Subscribers today are asking new questions. Not just “How fast is my internet?” – but “How safe is it?” and “Can I trust you to protect my family, business and data?”

Nowadays, homes average 21 connected devices and small businesses rely on consumer-grade routers, making security not just a technical feature, but a fundamental subscriber expectation.

The loyalty challenge facing telecoms

Globally, telcos are experiencing rising churn and waning trust:

• 74% of LATAM consumers say they’d switch providers after a single poor experience (Zendesk, 2023)
  
• In APAC, more than 60% of complaints relate to issue resolution delays (EY APAC Telecom Review)
  
• In EMEA, churn is increasingly linked to perceived gaps in safety and service quality (GSMA Intelligence, 2024)
  

The threat is shifting – and it’s personal

Cyberattacks are no longer just targeting big corporations. They’re targeting real lives, real people. And they’re getting closer to home:

• In Latin America, cyberattacks surged 53% year-on-year in Q2 2024 – the sharpest global spike (Cobalt)
  
• The UK saw half of all businesses report a cyber breach last year – 42% of them SMEs (DCMS, TechRepublic, 2024)
  
• In the Middle East, the average cost of a breach is $6.53 million, 69% higher than the global average (IBM, 2023)
  
• Ransomware rates are highest globally in the UAE (33%) and Saudi Arabia (29%) (Group-IB, 2024)
  

These threats are entering through home Wi-Fi, mobile networks and consumer devices. From phishing scams targeting grandparents to spyware lurking in mobile games, the attack surface is now as personal as it is technical.

The new customer expectation: “Keep me safe”

The question isn’t just “can you connect me?” but “can you protect me?”

Customers are increasingly seeking:

• Reassurance that home and mobile networks are secure
  
• Visibility and control over which devices are protected
  
• Automated, predictive defence – not just alerts when something’s gone wrong
  
• Confidence that their provider is acting on their behalf to stay ahead of threats
  

These expectations are growing in every region – not just among tech-savvy consumers, but across demographics and business types.

Security is no longer a bolt-on

Historically, many telcos have treated cybersecurity as an add-on – a product to bundle, or a tick-box to satisfy compliance. But that approach no longer reflects the market reality.

It’s not just about preventing attacks – it’s about creating confidence. Subscribers who feel safe stay longer, complain less and are more likely to recommend their provider. Those who don’t? Leave.

Looking ahead

The telecom industry has always been shaped by infrastructure and innovation. But in the next decade, the winners won’t be defined by speed alone – they’ll be defined by trust.

That means:

• Shifting from reactive to predictive security
  
• Embedding protection into the customer journey – not just at the network level, but in how people experience the brand
  
• Recognising that the home router is now a security endpoint
  
• Reframing cybersecurity as a loyalty strategy, not just a tech feature
  

In a market where subscribers can switch in seconds, protection – not price – may be the most powerful differentiator left.