The telecommunications landscape is currently navigating a complex intersection of massive infrastructure investment and sensitive political alignment. As global giants face the challenge of modernizing networks while adhering to shifting regulatory and social expectations, leadership must balance bottom-line performance with brand integrity. Vladislav Zaimov, a seasoned specialist in enterprise telecommunications and risk management, joins us to discuss how these organizations manage high-stakes sponsorships, regulatory trade-offs, and the logistical hurdles of the global fiber rollout.
This conversation explores the strategic reasoning behind corporate contributions to national projects and the impact of rolling back internal policies for federal gains. We also delve into the financial resilience of the sector in the face of sabotage and rising costs, the specific challenges of consumer fiber adoption in Europe, and the evolving role of telcos in the national fabric.
Corporate contributions to major national projects, such as the $300 million White House ballroom addition, are often framed as good citizenship. How do you reconcile these high-profile sponsorships with core brand values, and what specific criteria determine if such a contribution aligns with an international company’s identity?
In the United States, corporate participation in significant national events is a standard practice that falls under the umbrella of good citizenship. When a company like T-Mobile contributes to an inauguration ceremony or a project like the $300 million White House ballroom, they aren’t necessarily endorsing a specific political platform, but rather participating in the historical fabric of the host nation. The primary criteria for such a contribution must always be whether the event aligns with the brand’s presence and products within that specific market. For instance, celebrating the 250th anniversary of a constitution is a landmark event that any major entity would want to be associated with to demonstrate its commitment to the country’s stability. As long as the partnership does not restrict the company’s performance or cultural orientation, it is viewed as a strategic move to maintain a seat at the table in a critical market.
Several major telecommunications firms have recently rolled back diversity, equity, and inclusion policies to secure federal merger approvals. What are the long-term organizational risks of sacrificing these internal policies for regulatory gains, and how can leadership effectively maintain employee trust and morale during such transitions?
The decision to scrap DEI policies to win FCC approval for deals, such as the US Cellular and Metronet mergers, certainly presents a risk to internal culture and external perception. When employees see established values being used as bargaining chips for regulatory favors, it can lead to a sense of disillusionment or a feeling that corporate culture is secondary to growth. To mitigate this, leadership must double down on transparent communication and prove that the core values of performance and orientation remain unchanged despite the policy shift. In our latest pulse surveys, we’ve actually seen improved results, suggesting that employees still feel a strong connection to the company as long as the overarching corporate culture remains inclusive in practice. It is about ensuring that the daily work environment doesn’t lose its character even if the formal policy language has to adapt to specific legal or political requirements.
Large global corporations frequently face internal polarization during periods of significant political or legal change. Since internal surveys may show a strong sense of belonging despite these divisions, what specific management strategies are necessary to unite a massive workforce that holds increasingly divergent viewpoints?
Managing a workforce of several hundred thousand people means accepting that a certain level of polarization is inevitable, much like in any democratic society. The key strategy is to foster a “culture of belonging” that transcends individual political opinions by focusing on shared professional goals and the impact of our technology. We look at the organization as a whole, using twice-yearly pulse surveys to gauge the emotional health of the collective team. By emphasizing our shared identity as innovators and service providers, we can bridge the gap between divergent viewpoints. It is essential for leadership to acknowledge these differences openly while maintaining a professional environment where everyone feels they are part of a unified mission to connect the world.
While fiber-to-the-premises expansion has reached over 12 million homes in Germany, actual customer take-up rates remain lower than expected. What specific hurdles are preventing consumers from switching to fiber, and what operational steps will be prioritized to accelerate net additions by 20% in the coming year?
The challenge in Germany isn’t the availability of the technology—we added 2.5 million fiber premises passed in 2025 alone—but rather the consumer’s perceived need to switch from reliable legacy systems. Many households are still satisfied with their current speeds, creating a “wait-and-see” hurdle that slows down migration to the 12.6 million premises currently covered. To hit our target of accelerating net additions by 20% in 2026, the entire German organization is shifting its focus toward aggressive customer acquisition and education. We are moving from a rollout-heavy phase to a sales-driven phase, aiming to reach 1 million net additions annually by 2027. This involves streamlining the installation process and demonstrating the long-term value of fiber to bridge the gap between technical availability and actual subscriber numbers.
Despite facing high energy costs, sabotage attacks, and currency fluctuations, annual revenues have continued to grow to nearly $140 billion. How do these external pressures reshape long-term investment strategies, and which specific global segments do you anticipate will provide the most significant share of earnings moving forward?
Growing revenue to €119 billion, or roughly $140 billion, in a year marked by power outages and sabotage attacks proves that our geographic diversification is our strongest defense. These external pressures force us to build more resilient infrastructure and invest in security, which actually hardens our assets for the long term. The United States continues to provide the lion’s share of our earnings, contributing €21 billion in the fourth quarter alone, compared to the group’s total of €32 billion for that period. Moving forward, while the US remains the primary engine of growth, we expect our European segments—where we already see a 36% fiber penetration rate—to become increasingly vital as those markets mature. Our strategy is working because we are growing in every sector, despite the volatility of energy prices and the fluctuating value of the dollar.
What is your forecast for the telecommunications industry’s role in national infrastructure and political celebrations over the next decade?
Over the next ten years, I expect the lines between telecommunications providers and essential national infrastructure to blur even further, making telcos central figures in every major national milestone. As we move toward 17.5 million homes passed with fiber and integrate more deeply into the digital lives of citizens, our role will shift from being a utility provider to being a foundational partner in a nation’s social and political identity. We will likely see more frequent collaborations between the private sector and government for large-scale public events, as the connectivity we provide becomes the stage upon which these celebrations are held. For the reader, my forecast is that you should expect your service provider to be more active in the public square, as their commitment to “good citizenship” becomes a necessary component of maintaining their license to operate in an increasingly interconnected and scrutinized global market.
