The retention battle: Why telcos struggle to lock in high-value customers
With roughly a third of the total customer base actively considering switching, telcos cannot grow just by replacing the customers they lose. The priority must be retention, particularly protecting the high-ARPU, high-loyalty segment that sits at the heart of commercial value. The default industry response of price cuts is making the problem worse. In the final instalment of our four-part Global Telecom Study 2026 – across 35 markets and 18,000 consumers – we explore why the base is the most commercially important asset and how successful telcos are locking in high-value customers.
The fight for retention starts before customers actively decide to leave. As the final chapter of the IBRO framework – covering inflow, base and renewal, and outflow – this is where the entire customer investment either compounds or unravels.
Our study shows that currently 28% of mobile and 31% of broadband consumers globally are considering switching providers. The…
