Flatlining consumer revenues are forcing telecom operators to consider B2B services as a long-term growth engine
In sum – what to know:
Operators shift focus to B2B – Telecom providers are targeting enterprise sectors like energy, transport and healthcare to boost future revenues as consumer growth slows.
$17B AI security investment by 2029 – Spending on AI-powered, autonomous network security systems will nearly double over five years to ensure data protection for business customers.
Agentic AI enables autonomy – Juniper says real-time threat response will rely on advanced AI that acts independently, helping operators meet enterprise-grade security demands.
Telecom operators worldwide are expected to invest more than $17 billion in AI-based network security by 2029, according to a new study from Juniper Research.
The research noted that this spending surge reflects the industry’s growing focus on enterprise clients in sectors like transportation, healthcare and energy, where network protection is seen as essential.
The report, titled “AI in Cellular Networks Market 2025–2029,” estimates that annual investment in this field will grow from $2.5 billion in 2025 to $4.6 billion in 2029. Juniper Research also suggests this upward trend is mainly driven by operators’ growing efforts to diversify their revenue by offering advanced, secure connectivity solutions to businesses.
The fact that traditional consumer revenues are flattening is forcing telecom operators to increasingly look to B2B services as a long-term growth engine. However, Juniper Research warns that simply offering connectivity won’t be enough. Businesses will require high levels of security, especially for critical data and applications. To meet this expectation, operators must adopt intelligent and autonomous security systems powered by AI, according to the report.
“Operators won’t succeed in enterprise markets if they can’t guarantee secure traffic handling,” said Alex Webb, author of the report. “Advanced AI — particularly agentic AI — will be essential to achieve the autonomy needed for real-time response and scalable security.”
Agentic AI refers to AI models capable of taking initiative, making decisions and responding dynamically to emerging threats. According to Juniper Research, these technologies will enable real-time threat detection and mitigation with minimal human intervention, helping protect enterprise data more effectively and efficiently than current systems.
The report noted that this move toward autonomous systems also aligns with larger trends in AI-native networks, which aim to integrate intelligence into the network core itself — not just as an overlay. It added that AI tools already help operators manage large volumes of network data, detect anomalies and automate routine security tasks. The next step is to deploy AI that can independently monitor, detect and respond to evolving threats in milliseconds, the research firm said.
The report underlines that network security is no longer a side function, especially in sectors with sensitive or mission-critical operations. For example, a cyberattack on a connected energy grid or healthcare provider could have serious consequences. Juniper Research sees robust AI security as a competitive advantage in these B2B markets.
Juniper Research also highlighted in its research report a broader shift in telecom investment patterns. Instead of spending primarily on consumer services, the firm noted that operators are channeling funds into B2B-ready infrastructure, with AI playing a key role.
In panels and conversations at the recent International Telecoms Week, some of the reality of practical AI applications for network operators emerged.
“We are already getting a lot of value from AI,” said Jean-Louis Le Roux, Orange’s EVP of international network infrastructure and services, during a session on network operators participating in the AI value chain.
“We are already using AI in order to automate the capacity planning of the network, optimizing the network and ensuring the best resiliency,” Le Roux said, adding that Orange also uses AI to monitor the network and manage tickets that come from customers.
“All this, I would say, is improving the customer experience and the quality of service, and optimizing our cost,” he added.
Amid rising security threats and attacks, Orange is also using AI as part of network security to protect its network and its customers. “The people who are attacking us, they use AI,” said Le Roux. “So we have to react with AI.”
