Beyond connectivity: Why enterprises now demand outcomes

As digital transformation accelerates across industries, enterprise expectations from networks are changing rapidly. Connectivity is no longer an invisible utility running quietly in the background. It has become business-critical digital infrastructure, directly impacting revenue, productivity and operational continuity. This shift was clearly articulated by Gaurav Mathur, Vice President – Information Technology, Samvardhana Motherson International, in a conversation with Ashok Pandey, Executive Editor, PCQuest and DataQuest (DQ) Channels.

From background utility to front-end accountability

Gaurav Mathur explained that connectivity was traditionally viewed through the lens of user experience, email access, internet browsing, or video calls. “Not long back, connectivity was only about user experience. If I could access applications or browse the internet, everything was fine,” Gaurav says.bHowever, that assumption no longer holds true. “Now, the real consumer of IT is my shop floor, not my office. Everything is connected, everything is real time,” he adds.

In modern manufacturing environments, decisions are often made remotely, sometimes across geographies, and executed instantly on the factory floor. When connectivity fails, the impact is no longer irritation or inconvenience; it becomes financial loss. “If connectivity goes down, my decision doesn’t happen, and my entire plant can come down. This is no longer irritation, it is revenue loss, penalties, and delayed shipments,” Gaurav explains.

Manufacturing depends on network reliability

As factories become smarter, machines increasingly rely on Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and cloud-based intelligence. This makes connectivity essential for production continuity. “I cannot produce if I am not connected. My machines are intelligent enough to take decisions directly from the MES system,” Gaurav says. Enterprises are now forced to deploy expensive on-premise systems simply to protect themselves from unreliable connectivity. According to Gaurav, robust and predictable digital networks could reduce this dependency and unlock greater flexibility.

One of the key insights from the discussion was that bandwidth alone is no longer enough. While enterprises today have access to affordable bandwidth, manufacturing environments demand far more than speed. They require guaranteed latency, predictable performance, and zero disruption. “Average latency may be acceptable in offices, but not in manufacturing. Any disruption today can stop production,” Gaurav notes.

This is where traditional telecom models fall short. Networks designed only to transport data are insufficient for environments where the network itself becomes part of the production system.

What CXOs should demand from Telecom providers

As networks evolve into business-critical infrastructure, enterprise leaders must rethink their expectations from telecom service providers. Enterprises need intent-based and outcome-driven networks that deliver committed performance, regardless of network fluctuations. Today’s enterprise environments involve multiple providers, private wireless networks, plant connectivity, data centres, and last-mile operators. This fragmentation leads to poor accountability during failures. “Telcos are giving presentations, but not solutions,” Gaurav says. Manufacturing networks must be designed around process requirements, not generic telecom templates.

The role of AI and private 5G in enterprise networks

Looking ahead, enterprises expect AI-driven, intent-based networks that can sense conditions, predict failures, and act autonomously within defined parameters. Private 5G has immense potential for manufacturing, but adoption remains slow due to lack of ecosystem readiness. “Machine manufacturers are still not recognising 5G as a medium to support operations. They are offering cables, not wireless intelligence,” Gaurav observes. Without co-creation between telcos, equipment vendors and enterprises, private 5G risks remaining a theoretical promise rather than a practical solution. 

While faster networks such as 6G are on the horizon, enterprises are clear about what matters most today. “Bandwidth is available and costs are coming down. The real challenge is guaranteeing latency, support, and end-to-end responsibility,” Gaurav explains. This challenge is especially acute for manufacturing plants located just outside major cities, where enterprises still struggle to get reliable 5G connectivity and consistent SLAs.

Networks as the foundation of digital industry

As manufacturing, logistics and industrial operations scale digitally, networks are becoming the foundation of enterprise outcomes, not just a support layer. The message from industry is clear: Connectivity enables participation, but capability delivers outcomes.

For telecom providers, the opportunity lies in moving beyond selling bandwidth to delivering predictable, secure and outcome-driven digital infrastructure, designed specifically for enterprise and manufacturing environments.

In the next phase of India’s digital journey, networks that fail to meet these expectations risk becoming irrelevant, while those that evolve will shape the future of industrial transformation.

Written by- Preeti Anand