Australian Telecoms Sector Disconnected by Data Security and Incomplete Data

Appian research reveals that 90% of telcos have invested in digital solutions but data security and access hurdles remain

SYDNEY, June 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- New research from Appian (Nasdaq: APPN) reveals that the Australian telecommunications industry is being thwarted by data security and accessibility issues. The study surveyed 234 telecoms professionals in Australia. 46% of survey respondents cite organisational challenges of protecting sensitive data and ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations. 

The survey also found that 74% are operating with incomplete data, which negatively impacts their ability to do their job with accurate and comprehensive information. In a highly competitive and fast-paced industry like telecommunications, where customers expect real-time solutions and seamless service, these data gaps can erode trust, damage a company's reputation and impact the bottom line.

Telecoms' data security vulnerability

Recent digital advancements are transforming the telecommunications industry yet also creating security challenges. 90% of respondents say their organisations have introduced new digital tools or initiatives over the past five years. But this evolution is not necessarily keeping pace with the increased sophistication and frequency of cyber-attacks.

With a rapidly growing digital economy and infrastructure, Australia is becoming increasingly vulnerable to cyber-attacks. This year, Telstra, one of the nation's largest telco providers, was targeted in a data breach that impacted 47,000 customers. The impacts of such data breaches can include financial losses, regulatory fines and reputational damage.

"New digital tools and processes can be a double-edged sword," said Luke Thomas, Area Vice President Asia Pacific and Japan at Appian "On the one hand, technology has revolutionised the telecommunications industry, with big data and AI driving innovation to enhance productivity and improve the customer experience. However, if implemented without a clear cyber-security strategy, digitisation and its accompanying data influx can expose organisations to additional vulnerability."

Data security also appears to be a more significant challenge for the telecommunications sector, in comparison to other industries. In comparative research, only 36% of supply chain workers and energy professionals cited data security as an issue.

To mitigate cyber security vulnerabilities, Appian recommends an enterprise-grade security solution that can provide an organisation with control of its security posture to improve data security and privacy. Single sign-on (SSO) authentication and authorisation, plus real-time intrusion detection monitoring and response are key features. A highly secured system also enhances compliance with policies and regulations at the local, state, federal and global levels.

A lack of connection with incomplete, inaccessible data

In addition to facing a data security challenge, the telecommunications industry is hindered by incomplete data, or workers lacking access to the data they need. Of those surveyed, 39% cited data accessibility as a common challenge for their organisation, and 35% said that it's difficult for them to access the data they need to do their daily jobs. 

"In an immediate sense, a lack of complete or accessible data can impact telecommunications workers' ability to make informed decisions. This has wider implications in their abilities to troubleshoot issues, provide reliable customer support, or optimise network performance," explains Thomas. "This can have a detrimental effect on an organisation's workforce, negatively impacting employee experience and morale. It's not a great image for the telecommunications industry, which is in the business of connecting people."

Almost half of respondents (49%) reported that the inability to access complete and accurate data impacts their ability to complete reporting and analysis. 29% acknowledge a similar impact on budgeting and planning. 

"This lack of data visibility limits an organisation's ability to innovate, respond to market demands, and maintain competitive advantage, as decisions made without reliable information are inherently riskier and often less effective. This creates a ripple effect, slowing down processes, increasing operational costs, and ultimately impacting the bottom line," Thomas continued.

To address these challenges, Appian advocates implementing a modern process orchestration platform, enhanced by data fabric and AI. This provides an architectural layer and toolkit that seamlessly integrates data across different systems to create a centralised, unified view. Data fabric substantially enhances both security and operational efficiency for telecommunications providers. It allows for precise control over who can view, update, and delete data ensuring that every piece of information is accurately accounted for and securely managed.

The potential of AI for telecoms

Despite the industry's significant investment in data solutions, 54% of telecommunications workers admit to rarely or never using AI in their roles. With increasing awareness and education available around the benefits of AI for organisations, this highlights the opportunity for Australia's telecoms sector to revolutionise processes, data management, and security with AI.

"AI and advanced data management tools can be transformative for the complex data security and data access challenges that the telecoms industry is facing. Real-time threat detection and response and streamlined, connected data help foster a more responsive and resilient data ecosystem that can revolutionise workers' lives, boost operational efficiencies and benefit the end customer," concluded Thomas.

In addition, having AI embedded as part of operational telco processes will help with productivity, governance, and accountability — all essential to delivering value from AI. Deploying AI in isolated projects is complex and costly. By embedding AI within a process, enterprises can access valuable AI capabilities when and where they need them, in just a few clicks.

Process gives AI data. AI is nothing without data. But most enterprises struggle to feed AI complete data from across systems, while still ensuring privacy and maintaining access privileges. By integrating AI into processes, enterprises ensure AI receives quality, real-time data from all systems. They can enforce privacy controls to prevent unauthorized access and optimize data governance to comply with regulations

Download the full Appian Asia Pacific Data Trends Whitepaper to learn how telcos can build resilience by improving data security and data access and automating process orchestration to improve visibility, agility, and profitability.

About Appian

Appian is The Process Company. We deliver a software platform that helps organisations run better processes that reduce costs, improve customer experiences, and gain a strategic edge. Committed to client success, we serve many of the world's largest companies across various industries. For more information, visit appian.com. [Nasdaq: APPN]

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SOURCE Appian