Becoming Faster and More Direct: Telco Carrier Product Management Turns Towards Customers, Partners and Colleagues

Abstract

How do you go about developing, positioning, and launching your products in times of change and disruption? What capabilities must telecommunications carriers acquire to support their chosen business models? Thomas Heilen, for many years head of Deutsche Telekom’s German Product Management, has a wealth of profound knowledge and an impressive track record. In the following interview, he shares his viewpoints and experience related to some of the most hotly debated topics in the telco industry today: the potential advantages of integrated carriers, the role of network wholebuy, 5G and traffic structuring versus unlimited data rates. He outlines key aspects of products and services that will be offered in the future, speculates on whether they will focus on networks, customer experience or content, and considers how they can enhance differentiation among carriers. The discussion continues with a look at the motivation behind an approach related to households and users and what benefits it can generate. Our interview closes with a prediction about the working and operating mode of telco carrier product management of the future, including external (more in-depth integration of partners and customers) and internal (getting away from Tayloristic setups) aspects.