Predictions: Interview with Marc Allera, EE

As part of CCS Insight’s Predictions for 2025 and Beyond event last week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Marc Allera, CEO of UK operator EE. You can watch the interview below.

We started by talking about EE’s launch of 5G standalone for the consumer market, which the operator has decided to charge at a premium. Marc believes that consumers will be willing to pay more for the faster speeds, better capacity and lower latency offered by the network. But marketing the proposition to customers will be tricky — the needs of the consumer must be the focus, rather than the specifications of the technology.

AI is the hottest industry trend right now and features heavily in our predictions, and we’ve seen operators harnessing the technology to help improve their networks and customer care. Interestingly, EE is positioning AI as a means of selling more devices and more airtime. Marc shared his belief that, as new software releases come on AI devices, consumers will need to replace their devices to ensure they aren’t left behind in the AI revolution, essentially kickstarting a new device replacement cycle.

Another big topic at this year’s event is eSIM. I shared one of our predictions that eSIM roaming providers such as Airalo, Holafly and Nomad will be swallowed up by more-recognizable brands. Marc noted that this would make the market more competitive and perhaps encourage customers to switch, representing an opportunity for EE as well as a threat.

Finally, I asked Marc about EE’s recent campaign advising against selling smartphones to under-11s. As a parent, this struck me as a really important stance. Marc highlighted that, as one of the largest distributors of smartphones in the UK, EE has a responsibility to help people — parents and children — navigate the complex world of technology.

Marc also shared his own prediction on the topic, hoping to see phone-makers, platform providers, network operators and other stakeholders dialling up the focus on guidance and implementation of tools, services and training for parents and children when buying their first devices.

It was an insightful and interesting discussion, and I’d like to thank Marc for his time. You can watch the full interview below.

You can watch both days of the event and download the booklet with all 93 predictions here.