The telecommunication & IT industry is in an unprecedented turmoil – you agree? These industries are witnessing bigger structural changes than ever before – you agree again? If you have answered “yes” to both of these then you could join the ever growing group of experts writing about these “events”. Speculation has always been the favourite sports for the idle. I stumble increasingly to opinion pieces, expert analysis, insights, viewpoints and “studies” that are all based firmly on hindsight and loaded with nothing else than speculations of what might be coming. It does not take too much effort to consolidate some known information into speculation and then publish it. Therefore to find truly good analysis, weighted opinion pieces and inspiring foresight is increasingly difficult as it is all buried under a heap of tweeted junk. The value of trusted sources is more valuable than ever before. Tweeted or not.

There is a lot to be said about apps – they have certainly changed the way we interact with computers and phones. However, there is also a lot to be said about economics. And economics is certainly warped when it comes to apps. The rising number of apps being created is only exceeded by the number of downloads. And yet, how many app developers are actually making money?

Here’s the fun part – according to research by analytics firm Localytics, 26% of the apps downloaded are used only once! So, those humongous number of downloads give only half the story for the success of an app. Because the revenue actually comes with consistent usage and not just number of downloads.

And where does consistent usage come from? Increased engagement. How many apps have that? It is, perhaps, time for apps to be measured for engagement rather than downloads. Another survey done last year—a Harris Interactive study by Effective UI – said that 38% of the users were disappointed with the apps created by their favourite brand, and 69% of the users admitted that a negative perception of a brands app translates into a negative impression of the brand. So unless they get it right, brands could actually be harmed by going for an app than benefited.

In the same survey users stressed heavily on the need for the app to be easy to use, do exactly what they want it to do and that it should be well designed. A good user experience is the key to an apps success and the metrics methodologies should be adjusted to measure these instead of just downloads.

With these adjustments, the picture will completely change. And with this changed picture will emerge a different landscape for brands and mobile advertisers to map.

On the mobile platform – just like everywhere else today – if you don’t move forward but stand still, you fall behind. The other reality is that perception is everything. You are successful if you can create an image of success. And if your image is that of someone grappling with changing realities, even impressive numbers can do little to change that image – just look at Nokia.

Nowhere are these two realities more evident than in the telecom operator space. In a market with less and less differentiation, if bandwidth is the only thing that telecom operations provide, they may soon become like utility providers. The only thing differentiating one from another would be price and even that can go on only for so long.

The fact is operators will have to find a way to stay relevant and to lead the market movements. Right now, they are not seen as the force of the future but as that of the past. They have to go beyond being just mobile bandwidth taps and they will have to offer services that make it irresistible for a subscriber to choose them over their competitors. Like Aircel is doing with Blyk.

The truth is that if you compare the revenues of the telecom operator industry with that of, say, the IT industry, you may find that the former is much higher. But the perception that the IT giants have created is that they can do anything. The same could be said of operators, if they would only believe in their capability and play up their role. And, of course, differentiate their offerings.

Ultimately, to the consumer, it doesn’t matter who is selling what. They have their basic needs—like the need to communicate, the need to interact socially and discover all things new—and whoever steps up to satisfy them, will get their attention and their money. The biggest obstacle operators need to deal with is in their own head – a lack of vision. Unlike Facebook or Google, they are not global players, and they easily let this limit their innovativeness and blur their vision.

For instance, offering Facebook is not differentiation—it is, in fact, just something you can’t do without. But is that all customers want? Surely companies who claim to know their customers inside out should be able to do better, much better.

Silicon Valley creates a great vision of the future but not the revenue to match it, while the operators create great revenue, but no future (and please save me from all the bandwidth and tech futurists!).

For operators to continue to register growths in their business tomorrow, they will first need to serve their customers much, much better than they do today. And after that they will need to sell a dream, and then deliver it.