353 Copyright © 2019, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. Chapter 18 DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-6225-2.ch018 ABSTRACT This chapter begins with an introduction to the telecom sector, communication using mobile phones, and evolution of wireless communication. It presents the current scenario in this sector, the challenges faced by the telecom industry, especially with ever increasing data network trafc. Finally, the possibilities of harnessing the power of big data analytics, new techniques, and technologies that drive innovation in telecom are presented to help service providers make better decisions and react quickly to threats on the competitive horizon. AN INTRODUCTION TO THE TELECOM SECTOR In the past couple of years, telecommunication has developed as one of the basic pillars of infrastructure growth. It has become one of the key segments of financial and social growth, which is essential for overall progress of the country. The telecommunications segment, as an industry in India, is one of the most promising in the world and has become the largest telephone network.in the world, second after China (Trai, 2014). Reforms in the Indian telecom sector, like, carefully, selecting privatization and allowing competi- tion in various sections of the telecom industry, have led to its gradual growth. In India, the competition in the private sector for telecom was introduced through value-added services in the year 1992, and then, slowly, cellular and basic services were opened for private competition (D & B Research, 2009). In 1997, an independent regulator for telecommunication services, the Telecom Regulatory Authority Indian Telecom Industry: Challenges and Use of Analytics to Manage Customer Churn Vishal Mahajan Jaipuria Institute of Management, India Renuka Mahajan Jaipuria Institute of Management, India Richa Misra Jaipuria Institute of Management, India