Login
Register
Business assurance is now a strategic priority for CSPs. TM Forum’s latest survey highlights major progress, emerging gaps, and AI’s growing role in managing digital risk.
Gadi Solotorevsky
The rising wave of business assurance: My reflections on TM Forum’s latest survey
Just a few years ago, if you mentioned "business assurance" at a telecom event, you'd likely get a mixed reaction—interest paired with a good dose of confusion. People had different definitions, and many questioned if it truly had strategic importance or if it was just another industry buzzword.
Fast-forward to today, and the landscape has completely transformed. As I reviewed the newly released TM Forum Business Assurance Survey for 2024/25, I realized just how dramatically perceptions and practices have evolved. Incredibly, over 90% of communication service providers (CSPs) now have dedicated business assurance functions—up sharply from about 40% in 2021/22. Clearly, our industry has moved beyond merely protecting revenue; we're recognizing business assurance as a vital strategic tool to navigate digital complexities, mitigate risks, and ultimately enhance business performance.
However, while we've made great strides, the survey highlights something I’ve personally observed: maturity across assurance domains is uneven. Traditional areas like revenue assurance, cost assurance, and fraud management have become standard practice. But newer dimensions—such as asset assurance (ensuring network assets are effectively utilized), digital transformation assurance (managing risks during digitalization), digital ecosystem assurance (overseeing partnerships), and regulatory assurance—remain underrepresented and undervalued. Given how interconnected and complex our digital ecosystems are becoming, filling these gaps isn't just desirable; it's essential.
Something that particularly stood out for me this year was the introduction of comprehensive maturity scoring through the TM Forum Business Assurance Maturity Model. With an average industry maturity score of 3.48 out of 5, this framework doesn't just benchmark where CSPs currently stand; it provides a roadmap for strategic growth. If you're involved in business assurance, this is the perfect opportunity to reflect on your organization's strengths and clearly identify areas that need immediate attention.
One statistic from the survey genuinely impressed me: revenue leakage has dropped dramatically—from 1.22% of total revenue in 2021 down to just 0.52% today. This isn't just incremental improvement; it’s transformative. What's driving this shift? CSPs have significantly increased their assurance coverage (from 71% to 83%), and crucially, moved from reactive firefighting—often amid chaotic digital transformations—to proactive, preventive practices.
Yet, here's an issue we can't overlook only 22% of CSPs are actively measuring risk reduction. Without this critical metric, assurance teams struggle to clearly articulate their value to senior leadership. From personal experience, I know firsthand how challenging it can be to secure sustained investment without demonstrating clear business impacts. Transitioning toward a risk-based performance measurement model, therefore, should be at the top of our collective priority list.
I’ve often grappled with the dilemma of managing risks we don’t fully understand—those elusive "unknown unknowns." This year's survey shows clearly that artificial intelligence (AI), including generative AI and machine learning, is rapidly becoming the go-to solution for these challenges. Techniques such as AI-driven outlier detection (up from 36% to 51%) and customer complaint analysis (rising from 27% to 47%) are gaining momentum quickly. It’s fascinating—and encouraging—to see AI embedding deeper into assurance processes, helping us spot risks before they become crises.
Despite all the encouraging progress, there's a weak link I've observed personally and the survey confirms: measurement maturity remains relatively low, averaging only 2.8 out of 5. Even with robust assurance practices in place, if we can't measure our results effectively, we're essentially navigating without a compass—risking resource misallocation and struggling to prove strategic value.
Reflecting on this latest TM Forum survey, it's clear we're at an inflection point. We’ve made significant strides in awareness, adoption, and traditional assurance domains, but there’s important work ahead in emerging areas and in proving our value through better measurement practices. My advice—and personal commitment—is to leverage TM Forum’s structured maturity model, embrace advanced AI tools, and push for comprehensive measurement approaches.
I'd encourage everyone involved in business assurance to dive into this insightful survey, consider what it means for your team, and actively engage with our wider community. After all, the more we share experiences and learn from each other, the faster we’ll collectively advance our industry’s assurance capabilities. Let’s keep this momentum going!
