Across industries, organisations are under pressure to manage rising costs, fragmented systems, infrastructure constraints and growing customer expectations. Despite significant investment in digital transformation, many still struggle to turn technology and data into faster decisions and measurable operational improvements.
This challenge was central to Telkom Group Experience Day 2026, which brought together business leaders, customers, technology partners and industry specialists to examine how organisations can move beyond digitisation and develop the intelligence needed to respond, adapt and make better decisions.
The day focused on practical applications across mining, healthcare, financial services, retail, education and the petroleum sector. Discussions and demonstrations explored how connecting people, systems, infrastructure and data can address challenges relating to efficiency, resilience, safety, customer experience and decision-making.
Hasnain Motlekar, Acting CEO of BCX, said organisations that can turn information into action will be better positioned to create lasting value.
“We are seeing a shift from digital transformation as a technology agenda to intelligence as a business capability. The technologies demonstrated across the industry pods showed how this becomes practical. In mining, for example, the first-of-its-kind mesh connectivity solution in South Africa can extend reliable coverage across complex operational environments, allowing data to move between connected equipment, systems and teams. This creates greater visibility and operational awareness, supporting better decisions, improved safety and stronger resilience.”
The industry pods also demonstrated how artificial intelligence, data platforms, automation, cloud computing, cybersecurity and next-generation connectivity can be applied together to help organisations interpret information and respond more effectively.
Infrastructure emerged as a critical part of this discussion. As businesses become more dependent on data and connected systems, resilient and secure infrastructure is increasingly central to operational continuity and the effective use of digital services.
Openserve executive Dr Sunil Piyarlall said infrastructure must enable organisations to operate reliably and respond in real time.
“Infrastructure is no longer only about access. When networks are resilient, secure and built for scale, organisations can move data with confidence, support critical systems and respond in real time. Infrastructure becomes part of how a business manages risk, serves customers, enables innovation and creates long-term value.”
Through the day, discussions examined how technology can help improve patient outcomes, strengthen trust in financial services, enhance productivity and safety in mining, and support more responsive service delivery across the public and private sectors.
The participation of technology partners, including Cisco and Huawei, reflected the breadth of expertise required to address complex industry challenges. It also highlighted the value of an integrated ecosystem that brings together infrastructure, connectivity, cloud, cybersecurity, applications, automation and data. Telkom Group’s ability to convene and coordinate these capabilities across a single ecosystem is distinct in the South African market, enabling a more connected approach to solving industry challenges without treating technology as a collection of separate products.
The discussions pointed to a broader market shift. Technology access alone does not create competitive advantage. The determining factor is whether organisations can apply technology effectively to solve operational problems, improve performance and adapt to change.