# Blockchain Interoperability for Future Telecoms
## 4 Results and Discussion
### Challenges and Risks of Blockchain Interoperability in Telecommunications  
Despite their potential benefits, there are challenges and risks associated with blockchain deployment in telecommunications. According to [24], six significant challenges can be introduced when using blockchain-based solutions: scalability; the measurement of decentrality; security and privacy; consensus algorithms; standards, policies, and legal issues; and interoperability in deploying blockchain in 6G networks. According to the existing literature, interoperability has the following sub-challenges:  
* Technical complexity: Implementing interoperability across multiple blockchain networks requires technical expertise and compatibility among protocols, blockchain networks, and consensus algorithms.
* User Privacy and Separated Identity Management: When two or more standalone blockchain networks are expected to interoperate, the user identities in each network must remain private and undiscoverable by other interoperated networks.
* Scalability: Blockchain networks--particularly public permissionless blockchains such as Bitcoin and Ethereum--already face scalability issues with a high volume of transactions. Such problems can also occur in the telecommunications industry, even if permissioned blockchains are used. Implementing blockchain interoperability in the telecommunications industry is a complex task requiring technical expertise and compatibility between different protocols and consensus algorithms. It involves collaboration between multiple service providers and establishing common standards to ensure seamless integration and communication; however, it can also introduce performance and scalability issues. Using homogeneous blockchains for interoperation has a high potential for addressing performance and fewer scalability issues.
* Regulatory challenges: Blockchain technology in the telecommunications sector may face regulatory hurdles, as it involves exchanging and storing sensitive customer data. Implementing blockchain interoperability in the telecommunications sector requires collaboration among service providers to establish common standards and overcome regulatory challenges surrounding data privacy and security. With the regulating body, telecom operators might need help with respect to planned blockchain-based interoperability deployment requirements. In addition to technical challenges, telecom sector leaders are expected to address regulatory issues by cooperating with regulatory bodies.  
Figure 11: Weaver interoperability framework.  
Considering these advantages and challenges, it is crucial to carefully choose the most suitable blockchain and interoperability solutions to effectively address a wide range of telecommunications scenarios, particularly in the context of 6G mobile networks. Given the telecom sector's emphasis on robust privacy and security measures, permissionless and public blockchain solutions do not apply to telecoms. Therefore, this study explores private and permissioned solutions and strategies. The following section presents a comprehensive review of the carefully selected literature in order to identify and evaluate ideal interoperability solutions and compare them to determine the most suitable candidates.