As we head into 2025, technology is evolving at faster speeds. To remain competitive, businesses need to not just keep up but consider the possibilities ahead. The rise of quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and cloud dominance will undoubtedly reform the way organizations operate, innovate, and engage with customers. In observing how today’s advancements are already transforming the strategies and tools we use, Tangoe’s leaders are also anticipating how current changes in cloud, mobile, and telecom technologies will influence businesses and IT expense management trends in 2025 and beyond. Below are the predictions we believe will shape the future, helping companies navigate evolving challenges and seize new opportunities.
Proactively managing the financial risk of emerging technology will become increasingly crucial to stay competitive in a future where new hyper-speed technologies will demand even more resources and critical pivots. Visualizations will aid in cost monitoring and help companies plan for future expenditures by extracting ROI insights on new tech investments. They are essential for taking both a reactive and proactive approach to cost management. By tightly governing IT and cloud financials, businesses can better harness the power of tomorrow’s innovations without being overwhelmed by unpredictable cloud spending surges and security risks.
Artificial intelligence is being infused into every corner of business operations, making AI governance the new hot button for CIOs. But for AI systems to function in ways that are safe, ethical, and transparent, they need guardrails and oversight. It’s only a matter of time before governing AI becomes a matter of the government in the form of regulations.
AI compliance measures will have a trickle-down effect. AI systems are fueled by software applications and data center infrastructure, which can have a material impact on infrastructure costs, security, and environmental sustainability factors including carbon footprints and greenhouse gas emissions. With these elements inextricably linked, new requirements will influence the way businesses manage a variety of their IT assets.
AI governance could go so far as to redefine IT asset management with mandates even bleeding over into IT human resources too. AI compliance could put more pressure on IT teams and talents, bringing the IT skills gap to a fever pitch.
In recent years, companies have used their existing policies and principles to ensure AI was managed responsibly, but in the future, this approach will no longer be enough. Embracing transparency in cloud data management and cloud sustainability initiatives like GreenOps (which pairs well with FinOps) will prepare IT leaders for future AI regulations and controls concentrated on responsible, ethical, and safe innovation. Don’t forget to lean on experts for strategic sourcing services to lower the impact of new demands on internal IT resources.
Two major factors are revolutionizing the practice of cloud optimization: AI-based automation and the FinOps Framework of best practices. FinOps was originally designed to help curb the costs of public cloud infrastructure, but its gaps are becoming increasingly apparent as it becomes the go-to model for cost savings.
It’s not just IaaS that needs more supervision. A new study shows:
The SaaS wheels of change are turning with a fresh chapter unfolding to fill what some call the missing piece of the FinOps puzzle. The think tank behind the FinOps Framework is working diligently to develop and incorporate comprehensive SaaS optimization best practices into its model.
But this expansion only begs the bigger question: Can FinOps become the strategy for all-encompassing IT cost management? Tangoe’s leaders believe that it has powerful potential to grow, ultimately elevating to a much higher status.
This explains why the model is collectively popular. Trust and problem-solving experience give the Framework a strong foundation for wider applicability across the entire IT estate. There’s nothing else quite like it, which is why FinOps holds the greatest possibility of helping companies ensure they get the most value from potentially every innovation investment.
With ROI lacking, many believe the public cloud has failed to deliver the nirvana everyone was promised. Cloud investments will still grow, and public architectures will likely never die, but in the year ahead decision makers will take a more thoughtful approach to workload placement.
Rebalance your network as needed and consider your ability to manage and optimize hybrid clouds. Comparing private versus public expense information is paramount in determining which platforms are best suited to meet needs without increasingly consuming more of your IT budget.
Traditional methods for the items above may not work in tomorrow’s advanced threat landscape. Companies and their security teams will need to take tighter control over devices and applications using a proactive approach in restricting unauthorized users, tools, and services that run in corporate mobile environments.
Recently released post-quantum cryptography standards will rise on the horizon over the next two 2-3 years as quantum computing takes hold. This will require companies to replace every piece of encryption with revised unbreakable post-quantum algorithms.
To help ensure a secure mobile future, companies should start by assessing and updating their current security frameworks with a focus on device lifecycle management, unified endpoint protection, and strict SaaS control with an eye toward coming changes in encryption. Begin by regularly auditing mobile devices, accessing accounts, and ensuring that former employees have no residual access. Evaluate third-party access and SaaS agreements carefully, limiting exposure to only essential providers. Proactive steps to plan for operational and financial impacts will fortify security efforts against AI-advanced threats and quantum-powered attacks.
In 2024, the mobile industry witnessed a variety of activities that will culminate in a new outcome for 2025 – diminishing price disparities. In the year ahead, pricing sheets for mobile data services will look like a hall of mirrors with all major providers presenting basically the same numbers.
That outcome stresses how important it will be to dig into the specifics of each plan. In a market where everything appears the same, those tiny details – hidden fees, data speeds and throttling practices, and contract terms – will reveal the true differences.
Here’s what we saw in 2024 that gives rise to this trend:
In 2025, the best deals won’t be defined by voice or SMS services — in nearly all cases these are included in the cost of the plan, making unlimited plans a moot point. Instead, decision makers should focus on premium data allotments (the amount of data you get that isn’t throttled, slowed, or deprioritized), bundled options, hidden fees, device pricing, and contract terms that restrict flexibility. The sea of sameness will make it more critical to have an intimate understanding of every detail in the contract. Grab your magnifying glass and dive into the fine print or ask a cost management consultant to help you with price benchmarking and contract negotiations.
Over the next few years, mobility ownership trends will continue to shift away from current Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) approaches. Soon, corporate-owned strategies will become the preferred model and best practice. It could also introduce new compliance requirements and risks. The shift will bring benefits like improved security and streamlined management, making it easier for companies to enforce policies and ensure device compliance and data protection.
While BYOD ownership policies gained popularity due to perceived cost savings, many companies find that the financial benefits (if any) don’t justify the added security risk and administrative work. One of the biggest disadvantages of a BYOD policy is the limited control that IT has over the hardware. IT teams struggle to dictate the installation of applications, the level of device security, or the data stored on the devices. With different models, aging devices, and a variety of operating systems, unified endpoint security is more challenging and time consuming.
Consider transitioning ownership models now, before encryption requirements pile on more security challenges with the onset of quantum computing. Start with an inventory of your mobile devices, defining how many employee-owned phones and laptops your organization has. The smoothest migration paths are marked by self-service purchasing portals that allow employees to choose their own device while being guided by corporate procurement policies. This is the best practice for balancing convenience with compliance. Companies with large BYOD fleets may want the support of mobile device management services to handle device setup, endpoint security software enrollments, and employee technical support during the transition.
Unlimited mobile data plans are wildly popular and for good reason — mobility leaders are relieved of the watchdog duties. No more monitoring data usage and comparing consumption habits against plan limits in order to avoid costly overage fees. But as unlimited plans become the ubiquitous choice for businesses in the years ahead, these plans could also become a mental trap.
The freedoms of an unlimited service can trick mobile leaders into operating under false pretenses, making them believe that they no longer need to keep an eye on costs.
Unlimited data plans don’t prevent overspending. Endless data shouldn’t mean the end of financial oversight.
“Even when we sign up for an unlimited data plan, there seems to be no such thing as set-it-and-forget-it for mobile expenses,” explained Analyst and Founder of ZK Research, Zeus Kerravala in a Forbes article. He cites the three key issues as:
Unlimited doesn’t always mean the most cost-effective: The allure of an unlimited plan can fade quickly when shared or pooled data plans would have been the more cost-effective choice. Additionally, mobile data usage can vary widely among departments and employees, making an overarching unlimited plan a bad choice, particularly as business needs change over the course of a standard 3-year contract.
Comparing costs and tracking spending: Very few businesses use a single mobile provider, and carriers won’t help you track the spending of other carriers. Without cost analysis there’s little cost comparison guiding future purchasing decisions.
Make no assumptions about unlimited plans and maintain financial oversight. Regularly analyze usage patterns across departments and assess whether pooled or shared plans could offer greater cost efficiency. Leverage unlimited plans when they make sense for your business, but even predictable costs still need management. Beware of throttling policies and international travel plan restrictions. Leverage mobile expense management tools to keep tabs on usage reports and easily compare costs across multiple carriers. Financial management practices generate insights that can prevent unnecessary expenses and ensure every dollar spent supports the business.
Ready the popcorn for the Kuiper versus Starlink showdown starting in 2025. Satellite connectivity services will get cheaper and faster as Amazon’s Kuiper enters this emerging market as the newest player on the block, pressuring pioneer and incumbent, Elon Musk’s Starlink (owned by SpaceX). Smaller providers like Hughesnet and Viasat will likely fade into the background. Here are the market trends as evidence:
As satellite internet services gain traction, IT and finance leaders should consider several factors to assess potential benefits, limitations, and financial impacts. Satellite has distinct advantages in remote locations, but the first consideration should be bandwidth and latency, particularly considering bandwidth-hungry voice communications and video conferencing. Reliability and performance are heavily dependent on the number of satellites each provider has rotating Earth’s orbit. Other considerations include initial hardware and setup costs, security, and integration with existing hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Consultants can help you audit telecom circuits, optimize services and navigate this evolving market.
Low costs for IoT devices. AI infused into everything. The rise of edge computing. Quantum computers just around the corner. As emerging technologies converge with existing ones, a new frontier of technological advancement will take hold. In this next era, machines will talk to machines, and IT organizations will be building decentralized networks serving as hyper-fast AI-exchanges and IoT super-hubs in support of the machine experience.
The impact of machine-to-machine (M2M) communications will mean explosive network costs — at least at first.
Initial spikes will be significant as organizations invest in new infrastructure, specialized edge hardware and services, and skilled personnel to implement and maintain these advanced systems. However, with the efficiency gains of AI and the potential of quantum computing to solve complex problems much faster, costs will be reduced over time.
Unimaginable network efficiencies will be achieved thanks to AI automation that’s faster than a lightning strike, delivering superior utilization, reliability, and performance for data-heavy ecosystems.
Move over customer experience, here comes the machine experience.
In preparing for the next era of machine-to-machine communications, innovation leaders should pay attention to network management weaknesses, hybrid-cloud network scalability, IT expense management, data security and governance, IT skills, and R&D backed by strong piloting programs. With AI, edge computing, and quantum algorithms demanding networks on steroids, leaders will need to position their organizations to capitalize on these disruptive technologies while managing risks and costs effectively.
