Blockchain Interoperability for Future Telecoms

The inherent characteristics of blockchain, including immutability, self-execution, and removing intermediaries, consistently generate increasing interest in its applications within the telecom sector, making it an exciting area for investment. This literature review article aims to explore a promising research area known as blockchain interoperability. Interoperability seeks to connect two or more independent blockchains to exchange information. By leveraging the interoperability features of blockchain, independent telecom networks can seamlessly share information with other mobile, fixed, and next-generation networks. This results in improved security, efficiency, cost savings, and an enhanced customer experience. This study reviews highly cited research papers and literature to assess blockchain's relevance to telecom use cases for interoperability. Additionally, it presents prominent interoperability solutions and identifies essential requirements for successful blockchain interoperability implementation in the telecom sector. The findings highlight key research gaps and future directions for blockchain adoption in telecommunications, particularly for the forthcoming 6G.