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Telecommunications Industry Accounting Group

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The Telecommunications industry is at an inflection point: revenues are growing, but too slowly to keep pace with inflation, investment needs, and rising expectations. According to the “Perspectives from the Global Telecom Outlook 2024–2028,” global service revenues from fixed and mobile increased by 4.3% in 2023 to US$1.14 trillion but are expected to grow at a compound annual rate of only around 2.9% through 2028, reaching approximately US$1.3 trillion. At the same time, around US$200 billion of additional incremental revenue is projected to be up for grabs by 2028—contested “pockets of growth” that will only be captured by those who consistently align their business and accounting with these opportunities. 

This is where PwC’s Telecommunications Industry Accounting Group (TIAG) comes in.

Who we are

TIAG is PwC’s global network for accounting and reporting in the Telecommunications industry. 

We work closely with finance and accounting leaders of leading telcos to:

  • Identify sector-specific accounting and reporting issues at an early stage
  • Foster dialogue with standard setters (such as the International Accounting Standards Board [IASB])
  • Jointly develop market-aligned, practical solutions
  • Translate the implications of new standards and business models into understandable and operational guidance

Our perspective is always twofold: technically compliant and value oriented, with a clear focus on investors, lenders, and other stakeholders.

Why accounting in the telco sector is now a strategic issue 

Telecom services are increasingly becoming commodities: price increases are difficult to implement, while massive investments in networks, spectrum, cloud, and IT infrastructure remain essential. At the same time, new revenue streams are emerging—from B2B platform models, IoT, edge and cloud services, media and content offerings or data-driven services, just to name a few.

For CFOs and their teams, this means:

  • Complex bundle offers and multi-element arrangements (e.g. connectivity + device + service) must be mapped accurately.
  • New pricing models such as usage-based tariffs, revenue sharing or “as-a-service” models put traditional IFRS mechanics to the test.
  • High capex in networks and licences require transparent investment and impairment models.
  • Growth in niches demands clear performance KPIs to make value creation visible.

TIAG helps telcos address these challenges in ways that enable compliance, transparency, and value creation go hand in hand.

Our focus areas 

Driving this transformation agenda, we support our clients in particular in the following areas:

  • Implementing and further developing IFRS revenue models for complex bundles
  • Accounting for converged offerings across fixed, mobile, cloud and content
  • Aligning average revenue per user (ARPU), churn and lifetime value steering with accounting implications
  • Capitalisation, measurement and depreciation of fixed, mobile and fibre infrastructure
  • Accounting for spectrum licences, sharing models and joint ventures
  • Impairment testing under changing cash-flow expectations
  • Applying lease standards in the telco context (e.g. towers, data centres, network components)
  • Separating lease and service components in innovative sourcing models
  • Accounting for platform and partner ecosystems (B2B2X, IoT platforms, edge services)
  • Distinguishing between licence, service and usage-based revenue streams
  • Accounting effects of acquisitions, carve-outs and joint ventures
  • Reflecting new, fast-growing “pockets of revenue” in reporting
  • Transparent reporting on green network investments and decarbonisation initiatives
  • Linking financial and sustainability metrics in a consistent steering framework

Our network and the Global Telecommunications Finance Summit

Over the years, TIAG has evolved into an established industry network for telecommunication experts.

A central element is the annual Global Telecommunications Finance Summit, where we:

  • Bring together CFOs, controllers, and accounting and reporting leaders from around the world
  • Discuss current developments in Finance, in particular IFRS, local GAAPs and regulatory requirements
  • Share best practices, use cases and solutions to concrete telco issues
  • Jointly develop how accounting and reporting structures can make new value pools in the market more visible

How we help telcos make new value sources visible 

Against the backdrop of moderate sector growth and intense competition, one question moves centre stage: How can sustainable value be created from existing and new revenue streams?

TIAG supports you by helping to:

  • Reflect revenue growth and new business models in ways that are transparent to capital markets and other stakeholders
  • Underpin investment decisions in networks, spectrum and technology with robust accounting and valuation models
  • Develop KPIs and reporting formats that clearly show the utilisation of new value pools (e.g. IoT, cloud, platforms)
  • Anticipate regulatory and standard-setting developments at an early stage and embed them into processes, systems and controls

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Contact us

Christoph Gruss

Christoph Gruss

Partner, PwC Germany

Tel: +49 69 9585 3415

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Gábor Balázs

Gábor Balázs

Partner, PwC Hungary

Tel: +36 1 461 9534

Email
Christian David Simon

Christian David Simon

Partner, PwC Germany

Tel: +49 21 1981 1501

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