TBR’s Business Insights

Bad Debt Expenses Will Rise for CSPs in 2026

02.06.26

In a K-shaped economy that increasingly separates financial winners from losers, the majority of households and businesses on the lower arm of the “K” are under mounting financial strain and are finding it more difficult to pay their bills. As these economic pressures persist, communications service providers (CSPs) should expect bad debt expenses to continue rising, with the potential to meet, or even exceed, levels experienced during the Great Recession.

How Will Advanced AI Impact Pricing, Labor Practices and Client Expectations?

02.05.26

Advanced AI may be front and center in IT services strategy, but execution challenges remain a familiar story. Despite ongoing hype around unlocking new efficiencies and nonlinear growth, IT services firms continue to grapple with the reality of needing labor arbitrage in the short term and meeting client expectations.

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AI Alliances Will Increasingly Target OT

02.03.26

New and expanding partnerships are increasingly targeting the convergence of IT and OT, as system integrators (SIs) align with OEMs, manufacturing ISVs and silicon providers. This momentum is driven by the strong growth potential in high-tech manufacturing, where solutions that improve accuracy, efficiency and safety can be deployed on-site without reliance on rack-scale compute systems in neoclouds or Tier 1 clouds. As a result, while AI has long operated at the edge, these partnerships will accelerate both the sophistication of AI-driven use cases and the pace of solution framework development.

Agentic AI Adoption Is Pressuring Security Architectures to Converge

01.29.26

The emerging pattern of multicloud security consolidation has direct implications for both Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft, as enterprises reassess detection pipelines, governance models and operating frameworks heading into 2026. Although AWS remains well positioned in analytics-heavy workloads, the company needs to reevaluate its long-established “building block” approach, especially as peers deliver more integrated platforms. For Microsoft, its strengths will continue to be with organizations where Microsoft 365 already anchors their identity and collaboration strategies.

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The U.S. doesn’t have a Spectrum Shortage — It has a Utilization Problem

01.13.26

The mobile industry continues to beat the drum for more spectrum, but it should instead focus on fully utilizing the spectrum already allocated. TBR notes there are vast tranches of spectrum in the U.S. market that are broadly underutilized, either for technical or economic reasons. And challenges will only worsen as the industry aims to bring upper midband frequencies into the fray, which have greater propagation challenges and are less suited for macro coverage.

Shutdown Ends, but Federal Contractors Face a Slow Return to Normal

12.17.25

The 43-day U.S. federal government shutdown, the longest in history, came to a welcome end on Nov. 13, 2025, but for some federal systems integrators (FSIs), the shutdown’s impact could linger well into federal fiscal year 2026 (FFY26). According to the Professional Services Council, the national trade association for federal technology and professional services contractors, it will take three to five days for agency functions to return to normal for each day of the shutdown, implying that operations at some agencies may not return to normal until March 2026.

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Partnerships, Not Products, Will Define How Consultancies and Native AI Companies Share Value in Agentic AI Era

11.03.25

Just like supporting startup programs, many traditional IT services companies and consultancies have struggled to adequately put themselves in their alliance partners’ shoes. And when those partners are startups or immature native AI companies, that struggle will be harder in the absence of leadership, strategic direction and sustained investment. But that’s the potential downside. The upside is that consultancies are perfectly positioned to be change management specialists, helping their largest clients adopt the best new AI.

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Human Capital Management in the Age of (Agentic) AI

10.07.25

Fundamentally HR management remains a back-office function that IT services companies and consultancies can use to drive managed services engagements. And TBR’s research shows that managed services can lead to additional consulting opportunities, particularly when managed services providers (whether a traditional IT services company or consultancy) partners smartly with technology companies, leveraging the data and insights generated through back-office platforms to uncover issues and opportunities.

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GenAI Outcomes or Autonomous AI Architecture: Where Should CIOs Focus?

10.01.25

What good are AI-enabled solutions if an enterprise’s IT environment and architecture can’t handle the data orchestration demands and IT becomes a roadblock to faster, better, clearer insights from AI, rather than the business accelerator expected of IT departments in the AI era? After more than a decade of consultancies and IT services companies helping IT departments become business drivers, will inadequate architecture slow down AI adoption and AI agents at scale?

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IT Services Market in 2024: Key Success Factors for Vendors

04.22.24/by Elitsa Bakalova, Senior Analyst

While macroeconomic uncertainty challenges year-to-year revenue growth in the IT services sector, the trajectory beyond 2024 appears promising, largely due to the resilience of managed services bookings. Despite macroeconomic uncertainty the revenue growth trajectory beyond 2024 is promising, driven by the resilience of managed services bookings.

Abstract,close up of Mainboard Electronic computer background. (artificial intelligence, ai)

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2024: A Transitional Year for GenAI and PC Markets

04.16.24/by TBR

Explore how 2024 marks a pivotal year for GenAI and the PC market. Discover the latest AI applications, market trends, and the evolving role of AI PCs in driving industry conversations and addressing privacy concerns.

The Critical Role of Competitive Intelligence in Strategy Planning

04.11.24/by Kelly Lesiczka, Senior Analyst

Learn how competitive intelligence is essential for strategy planning. Discover the benefits, best practices and key considerations for integrating market knowledge and competitor analysis into your strategic framework.

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3 Ways AI Is Transforming the Cloud Industry in 2024

04.10.24/by Allan Krans, Practice Manager and Principal Analyst

Hyperscalers and SaaS providers are clearly on the front lines of GenAI monetization, but the availability of GenAI services through cloud delivery methods will also accelerate the development of the market.

How AI is Revolutionizing Telecom: Top Transformations for 2024

04.04.24/by Chris Antlitz, Principal Analyst

Discover how AI is revolutionizing the telecom industry in 2024. Learn about advancements in contact centers, customer lifecycle management, and corporate functions, driving efficiency and innovation.

When Will GenAI Impact the Devices Market?

04.02.24/by TBR

Generative AI (GenAI) will make devices, especially PCs and smartphones, more powerful and easier to use, and that will drive business among device, platform, silicon and software vendors but will not change the structure of the ecosystem. New opportunities in software and services will present themselves, new companies will enter the market, and most new companies will ultimately be acquired.

Cloud Components Market 2024: AI, Hybrid Solutions and Key Acquisitions

03.21.24/by Catie Merrill, Senior Analyst

Explore the latest trends in the cloud components market for 2024, focusing on acquisitions, AI advancements, and hybrid solutions. Discover how leading vendors like Dell, Cisco and HPE are shaping the landscape.

Unlocking Business Success: Competitive Intelligence

03.13.24/by Allan Krans, Practice Manager and Principal Analyst

Discover the power of competitive intelligence for business success. Learn how to leverage CI to gain insights on competitors, partners and customers.

Expectations for GenAI Deployment in IT Services in 2024

02.28.24/by Patrick Heffernan, Practice Manager and Principal Analyst

Delve into the current landscape of GenAI deployment in 2024. Despite initial hype, concerns around cost, technology challenges, and ethics persist. Explore how IT services vendors are pivoting towards business-backed use cases to sustain client interest. Anticipate shifts towards outcome-based pricing and increased focus on data orchestration. Download TBR’s predictions for IT services and consulting markets in 2024 for insights into GenAI pressures and talent challenges.

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