Okeyia, CharlesDe Almeida, Nuno MarquesAmad-Echendu, JoeAsongu, Simplice A.2026-03-252026-03-252026-03Okeyia, C., De Almeida, N.M., Amad-Echendu, J. et al. 2026, 'Blockchain and digital technologies in the telecommunications industry', Thunderbird International Business Review, vol. 68, no. 2, pp. 139-163, doi : 10.1002/tie.70020.1096-4762 (print)1520-6874 (online)10.1002/tie.70020http://hdl.handle.net/2263/109289DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.This article examines how fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies, specifically blockchain and digital twin technologies, can be utilized to address the energy supply challenge and enhance the management of distributed telecom infrastructure assets in a research context. The emphasis is on how blockchain and digital twin technologies can be applied to improve asset maintenance activities. Following a systematic review of the existing literature and the development of a model, the research methodology involves the use of structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews—a mixed-methods approach based on operational data on the asset's functionality. The findings from the asset data suggest that the adoption of blockchain and digital twin technologies substantially enhances the effective functionality of assets installed in telecoms-based stations. However, the intricacy of integrating these 4IR technologies with conventional assets, as well as evidence from questionnaires and interviews, further suggests that they provide a foundation for the digitalization of maintenance methods, resulting in substantial improvements in operational and maintenance effectiveness and efficiency. The blockchain and digital twin technologies accelerate a predictive maintenance method by proactively identifying unexpected asset failures, thereby lowering mean time to repair and operating expenditures.en© 2025 The Author(s). Thunderbird International Business Review published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License.Asset managementBlockchain technologyDigital twinsDigitalised predictive maintenanceTelecoms infrastructureArticle