Low-latency 5G to accelerate transition to interactive voice services in APAC

CCaaS platforms predicted to handle 48 billion voice calls globally and 19 billion in APAC by 2027, as 5G transforms voice services

A recent study from Juniper Research has found that the total number of calls handled by Contact Centers-as-a-Service (CCaaS) platforms will near 48 billion by 2027; rising from 20 billion in 2022. This growth of 135% will be driven by leveraging 5G networks to implement advanced voice technologies including 5G-interactive calling and AI-IVR (Artificial Intelligence-Interactive Voice Response).

CCaaS provides cloud-based contact center infrastructure hosted by third-party service providers. It enables on-premises contact centers to use cloud-based infrastructures to service multiple technology channels.

5G to boost CCaaS voice solutions
The new research anticipates that the integration of 5G technologies into voice channels will drive the launch of novel voice services, such as interactive calling.

This technology will enable businesses deploying CCaaS to include features such as interactive content and screensharing, directly in the native calling app on smartphones without the need for a third-party application. 5G will also improve existing CCaaS services such as IVR, utilizing AI to reduce customer wait times and business costs.

Research author Elisha Sudlow-Poole commented: “Leveraging 5G networks will allow CCaaS vendors to provide enhanced management of devices, immersive experiences and increased capacity to support innovative services. Offering infrastructure that can support multiple channels and technologies will benefit industries looking to provide heightened omnichannel customer support.”

India – greatest monetization opportunity
The Asia Pacific region is a key opportunity for CCaaS vendors, considering that India and the Philippines are leaders in traditional contact center services. The report predicts that the region will account for 19 billion voice calls by 2027; representing 40% of global CCaaS voice traffic.

Within the region, the study identified India as an immediate monetization opportunity for vendors, despite the delayed commercial launch of 5G networks in the country. It predicts that the existing strong contact center infrastructure that can be easily integrated with third-party CCaaS platforms will alone be enough of an attractive proposition for CCaaS vendors.