Cloud Transformation Benchmark 2023: results and key findings

This report discusses the key findings of Analysys Mason’s Cloud Transformation Benchmark (CTB), which measures telecoms operators’ cloud-native readiness in terms of network function deployment and operations. It analyses the key drivers and challenges in relation to adopting cloud-native network and operations; deployment strategies and timelines; and organisational transformation initiatives. It also assesses the transformation progress that operators have made over the last 2 years since the 2021 version of the CTB study.

We interviewed 14 operators around the world and assessed their cloud-native progress in terms of their technological and organisational maturity. We then placed these operators into a benchmark matrix and segmented them into different categories based on their progress and common traits.

The report also provides insights for operators and vendors that want to adopt industry best practices and identify gaps in, and advance, their cloud-native network strategies.

Key questions answered in this report

• How are operators progressing in terms of cloud-native network and operations transformation and what is the outlook for the future? 
• What are the key drivers and challenges of cloud-native network transformation?
• What are the main patterns in operators’ cloud-native adoption and how do these patterns compare with each other?
• What are the main cloud-native transformation strategies, roadmaps and emerging best practices?

Who should read this report

• CTO, CIO and CTIO units in operators that would like to understand the overall industry progress towards cloud-native networks and compare themselves with their peers. Particularly, the members of these units who seek to understand and adopt key technology and architectural trends in cloud-native networks and ensure that they are aligning with industry best practices to facilitate their cloud-native journeys. 
• Vendors that want to gain insights into operators’ cloud-native progress and transformation and implementation strategies in order to build their offerings around operators’ requirements and roadmaps.

This report draws on several other sources including:

• Analysys Mason’s internal research on cloud-native networks within the Cloud Infrastructure Strategies programme
• a 2023 survey on cloud-native automation with 108 participating operators worldwide.