Australian telecoms face data security & access challenges
Research from Appian has identified data security and accessibility as persistent challenges for Australia's telecommunications industry, despite widespread digital transformation initiatives.
The study collected insights from 234 Australian telecommunications professionals, revealing that 46% face organisational challenges in protecting sensitive data and ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations. The problem is compounded by 74% of respondents reporting that they operate with incomplete data, which they say undermines accurate decision-making and the ability to provide comprehensive customer service.
These findings come as the industry grapples with increasing digitalisation. Nine out of ten respondents stated that their organisations have introduced new digital tools or initiatives in the past five years. However, these advancements have also heightened security risks, as demonstrated by a recent Telstra data breach impacting 47,000 customers. This incident highlighted the potential consequences of such breaches, which can include financial losses, regulatory penalties, and reputational damage for affected companies.
Luke Thomas, Area Vice President Asia Pacific and Japan at Appian, articulated the complexity of this issue. He said, "New digital tools and processes can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, technology has revolutionised the telecommunications industry, with big data and AI driving innovation to enhance productivity and improve the customer experience. However, if implemented without a clear cyber-security strategy, digitisation and its accompanying data influx can expose organisations to additional vulnerability."
Compared to other sectors, the telecommunications industry appears particularly affected by data security concerns. Similar research found that only 36% of supply chain and energy sector professionals identified data security as a significant issue, suggesting a disproportionate burden for telecoms organisations.
Appian advocates for the use of enterprise-grade security solutions to address these vulnerabilities. Features such as single sign-on authentication and real-time intrusion detection are identified as important components, with the goal of improving both data privacy and regulatory compliance at all levels.
Accessibility of data remains another substantial impediment. Among those surveyed, 39% reported that data accessibility poses ongoing challenges for their organisations, while 35% said obtaining the data they require for daily tasks is difficult.
Thomas highlighted the operational impact of these issues, stating, "In an immediate sense, a lack of complete or accessible data can impact telecommunications workers' ability to make informed decisions. This has wider implications in their abilities to troubleshoot issues, provide reliable customer support, or optimise network performance. This can have a detrimental effect on an organisation's workforce, negatively impacting employee experience and morale. It's not a great image for the telecommunications industry, which is in the business of connecting people."
The consequences of limited data access are broad. Nearly half (49%) of respondents indicated that incomplete data negatively influences their ability to complete reporting and analysis, and 29% reported similar difficulties with budgeting and planning.
Thomas added, "This lack of data visibility limits an organisation's ability to innovate, respond to market demands, and maintain competitive advantage, as decisions made without reliable information are inherently riskier and often less effective. This creates a ripple effect, slowing down processes, increasing operational costs, and ultimately impacting the bottom line."
Appian proposes that implementing a modern process orchestration platform, enhanced by data fabric and artificial intelligence, could help unify and better secure data across disparate systems. Such tools provide precise control over data access and can help telecommunications providers to guarantee that data is securely managed and accounted for, while improving compliance and operational efficiency.
Despite the industry's investments, more than half (54%) of telecommunications workers surveyed said they rarely or never use AI in their current roles. This presents an opportunity to further develop sector-wide capabilities in process, data management, and security through wider adoption and integration of AI technologies.
"AI and advanced data management tools can be transformative for the complex data security and data access challenges that the telecoms industry is facing. Real-time threat detection and response and streamlined, connected data help foster a more responsive and resilient data ecosystem that can revolutionise workers' lives, boost operational efficiencies and benefit the end customer," Thomas said.
Embedding AI within operational processes could also support productivity, governance, and accountability—considered essential for maximising the value from AI deployment. Appian notes that integrating AI within business processes, rather than in isolated projects, ensures the technology receives quality, real-time data across systems while supporting privacy and data governance obligations.
