The operating group’s Chief Digital Officer announces agreements with techcos and institutions from around the world to expand the reach of Open Gateway APIs
At MWC Chema Alonso, CDO at Telefónica, has presented a session called Open collaboration to innovate. During the session he announced agreements with leading technology companies and institutions from around the world regarding Open Gateway APIs.
TikTok rocks on, slowly
Telefónica and TikTok are to extend their alliance to Europe with a new Age Verification API to identify underage users. During Alonso’s presentation, Cabify announced it will simplify the registration process for its users using the Number Verification API.
Their collaboration started during MWC 2024, when the two companies announced they would design a simpler, more secure onboarding process based on the Number Verification API. This solution will be launched in the first half of this year, and extended to “strategice” markets, starting with Brazil.
The Number Verification API means TikTok users can register for the app using their mobile phone number, without an an SMS or third-party verification system.
The newly announced Age Verification API, also within the CAMARA framework, will integrate functionalities from other solutions like Number Verification and know your customer to supplement TikTok’s existing age assurance and age confirmation measures to help ensure age-appropriate experiences.
Cabify to verify automatically
Alonso was joined on stage by Carlos Herrera Yagüe, CTO of Cabify to announce the latter will start using the Number Verification API in its registration processes so they can register directly, without having to receive an SMS or use another third-party verification system, which slows the process.
With this API, Cabify can offer users greater speed and security, because it can verify automatically that a user is interacting through a device that has a SIM card associated with a specific phone number.
Keep it in the community
Telefónica and the Community of Madrid have signed a cooperation agreement to facilitate the digitisation of public services such as health, transport, justice and tourism through the adoption of Open Gateway. This announcement was made with Miguel López-Valverde Argüeso, Councillor for Digitalisation of the Community of Madrid.
AWS for SaaS
Ishwar Parulkar, Chief Technologist for Telecom and Edge Cloud at Amazon Web Services, also took part in the session. With Alonso, he announced the joint creation of an innovation centre for new SaaS consumer products for telcos. The idea is to combine the strengths of cloud and telecoms networks.
The collaboration will be based on Telefónica’s experience in the management of telecoms data and algorithms to analyse this data and obtain anonymous, aggregated information from consumers to serve different verticals. AWS, for its part, will provide infrastructure and data storage, data governance and analytics services to enable the development of modern management platforms, generative AI applications and data analytics based on the cloud and adapted to telecoms data.
The companies say they aim to democratise access to technology by offering ‘plug and play’ platforms as SaaS products to companies around the world. The products emerging from the innovation centre will abstract companies from the complexity and cost of creating data services.
Google it
Alonso also announced an innovation centre with AWS for telecoms SaaS products based on Open Gateway APIs. Telefónica and Google Cloud will authenticate millions of developers through Open Gateway and Google Firebase APIs.
Achievements so far
During his speech Alsonso presented some of Telefónica’s achievements since the launch of the GSMA Open Gateway initiative at MWC in 2023. For example, Telefónica has already closed deals with more than 50 large companies around the world and is negotiating more contracts with companies interested in adopting Open Gateway APIs to improve the digital services they offer.
To gain greater momentum, Telefónica is supported by more than 20 commercial partners, and the number is rising, according to the operator.
Rob Willcock returns to Orange to head international business; Lauren Leboucher, Orange Group’s CTO, becomes Chair of the Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance
Rob Willcock (pictured) has been appointed CEO International at Orange Business, effective 1 March. He is responsible for the company’s position “as a leading network and digital integrator, and a trusted partner for multinational and large national customers outside France”.
His two key priorities will be business development and excellent customer service. He is based in the UK and replaces Kristof Symons who is leaving the company after 17 years.
Willcock has more than 25 years’ experience in senior business and technology roles, including multiple management positions at Orange, having led consulting, business development and global customer programmes across several regions.
His most recent positions within Orange Business were President for the Americas for five years and Managing Director for the UK and Ireland for three years. Willcock returns to Orange Business after a three-year stint as Group Chief Commercial Officer at Flowbird Group, which specialises in urban mobility and smart cities.
“I am excited to be back at Orange Business. The company provides an unbeatable combination of technology, scale, expertise, feet on the ground, and global solutions that can enhance every facet of a customer’s business. I look forward to guiding our international customers on that journey,” said Willcock.
“Rob’s ability to adapt, innovate, and lead with purpose makes him the perfect choice to head our international teams. I have no doubt his leadership will continue to elevate our business, enabling us to deliver even greater value to our customers worldwide,” said Aliette Mousnier-Lompré, CEO, Orange Business.
Chair of the NGMN Alliance Board
Laurent Leboucher (pictured below), Orange Group’s CTO and Executive Vice President Networks, is to serve a two-year term as head of the Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN).
Leboucher succeeds Arash Ashouriha, SVP, Group Technology at Deutsche Telekom, who concludes a four-year tenure.
“We look forward to continue working with Laurent on our focus topics disaggregation, sustainability and advancing beyond 5G,” said Anita Döhler, CEO of NGMN Alliance. “His extensive industry expertise and leadership will be instrumental in guiding the Alliance’s work as we focus on sustainable, incremental network evolution towards 6G, also considering automation and AI.”
“I am honoured to take on this role and excited to support NGMN in uniting operators, vendors, academia and the wider ecosystem to shape the future of mobile networks,” said Leboucher. “The next two years are pivotal as we work towards network simplification and a smooth transition beyond 5G, towards 6G.
“With 6G standardisation work starting this year, NGMN will play a vital role in providing the industry with the necessary requirements to drive global alignment. The risk of ecosystem fragmentation makes global standards and industry cooperation more important than ever. NGMN is uniquely positioned to bring the industry landscape together and help shaping a unified, future-ready network architecture.”
The aim is to help customers and partners in Sweden “revolutionize industrial operations with AI-driven predictive maintenance and condition-based monitoring”
Telenor and its partner ecosystem announced the 5G Solutions Lab, a new test lab in Gothenburg. This initiative aims to provide a one-stop-shop to support customers and partners looking to improve industrial operations with AI-driven predictive maintenance and condition-based monitoring powered by 5G.
The 5G Solutions Lab in Gothenburg is one of several test facilities of Telenor’s Open Lab, a platform to innovate faster and better together with partners, startups, and customers.In particular,the new lab complements Telenor IoT’s global connectivity testing facilities in Karlskrona.
Mats Lundquist, CEO of Telenor Connexion and Head of Telenor IoT, said, “Operating on a global stage, Sweden is home to many companies that are eager to explore the new capabilities that 5G offer. We have several customers who are excited to test these solutions in a real-world setting, with a global perspective and requirements such as roaming.
“Being part of Lindholmen Science Park, a hub for groundbreaking innovations, and now offering this new 5G Solutions Lab in the same location, allows us to bring everyone together in one place. The new lab is a valuable addition to our established testing operations in Karlskrona, expanding our offering to global customers by providing hands-on testing of future IoT scenarios.”
Telenor says this collaboration, which it initiated, has already shown “remarkable success across Telenor Sweden, Telenor Research & Innovation, and partners, with the research institute TECoSA being a prime example”. Partners include:
Telenor Sverige leads as the business sponsor for 5G and edge infrastructure
Telenor R&I (iCORA) manages the testbed, platform and technical operations
Telenor IoT (Connexion) offers the new testing facilities to customers with global reach
Nagarro oversees smart factory application use cases
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) provides the high-performance, secured, scalable and low-latency edge infrastructure supporting industry, 5G and AI workload
Red Hat provides a common platform that supports the full application lifecycle, including AI and MLOps workflows, across multi hybrid clouds and out to the edge, providing flexibility and innovation at scale
Cumucore offers 5G SA capabilities
Intel contributes to edge AI infrastructure
Induo supplies 5G SA devices
TCS develops the marketplace for Telenor’s 5G and edge products and services
Fujitsu acts as the on-site E2E solution integrator
HP supplies industrial PCs/Workstations for high-performance AI workloads with the highest End Point Security
Nokia provides 5G RAN, multi domain service orchestration and monetization through network APIs
Vinnter develops 5G-connected sensors and intelligent actuators, enabling real-time data collection and automated control for industrial applications.
“Telenor has always been at the forefront of technological innovation, continuously pushing the boundaries of connectivity and digital transformation. This new 5G Solutions Lab in Gothenburg is a significant step forward, providing customers with the opportunity to test and verify the true value of advanced 5G services,” said Malina Borg Sigg, 5G-Expert at Telenor Sweden.
Operator shows off AI use cases and announces API unit, Orange LiveNet, tasked with expanding its CAMARA-based API catalogue
Orange’s slogan for MWC 2025 is “Connectivity and beyond”. The operator wants to show off the power of its network, “which aims to be intelligent, responsible, open, software-driven, and increasingly predictive”.
In particular, Orange is highlighting its prowess with AI, saying it has deployed more than 150 use cases deployed through 800 experts and strategic partnerships. The group is presenting its latest advances from its R&D, such as integrating AI into its networks to improve the quality, reliability, and predictability of infrastructures to benefit customers.
Orange also says AI is key to better cybersecurity and protecting customer data.
Orange LiveNet
The operator group is also announcing the launch of its API Business Unit, Orange LiveNet. Its purpose is to create offers for developers and businesses to gain secure access to network functionalities, using network APIs.
Orange says that as it increasingly opens up its networks so they can function as commercial platforms, network APIs will be the gateway to develop customer experiences across many industries, allowing real-time, secure access to tailored connectivity.
Through the new unit, Orange intends to speed up the expansion of its CAMARA API catalogue. CAMARA is the Linux Foundation’s open-source project which works with the GSMA OpenGateway initiative. The project is supported by 69 operator groups worldwide.
Orange’s network APIs will be available through the portal developer.orange.com and several partner channels for developers, starting with Aduna, the joint venture created by Ericsson and, so far, 13 international operators, including Orange, in September 2024. Aduna has also just announced its collaboration with the Bridge Alliance, which runs on Singtel’s Paragon platform.
The first commercial APIs in this new approach are identity and anti-fraud APIs, followed by geolocation and quality-on-demand APIs, demonstrated at MWC.
MWC confirms network API collaboration is accelerating as announcements come in thick and fast
Ericsson’s API joint-venture Aduna has announced a partnership with Bridge Alliance to accelerate the adoption of CAMARA-based network application programming interfaces (APIs). With some of the biggest telcos already in the Aduna joint-venture, getting Bridge Alliance on board, which has several big APAC telcos in it, is a clear sign that network APIs are coalescing around CAMARA APIs.
Last July, Bridge Alliance, which includes 34 mobile operators worldwide partnered Singtel, now an Aduna member, to launch a telco API exchange – the Bridge Alliance API Exchange (BAEx) powered by Singtel’s Paragon, the all-in-one orchestration platform for telco networks.
The partnership with Bridge Alliance marks another first for Aduna by expanding its global ecosystem through partner program agreements. As growing numbers of Bridge Alliance members embrace network APIs, the new agreement will form the basis for Aduna to work with Bridge Alliance members.
In return, enterprise customers of Bridge Alliance members working with Aduna will be able to tap the benefits of Aduna’s global reach and rapidly growing mobile operator ecosystem. Aduna developer platform partners – including Google Cloud, InfoBip, Sinch and Vonage – will enjoy direct access to Bridge Alliance partner networks working with Aduna. Aduna and Bridge Alliance will also join forces in support of global standardisation efforts (such as GSMA Open Gateway, CAMARA and TM Forum).
Broader ecosystem
“Together with Aduna, we are enabling a broader ecosystem of APIs. Enterprise customers will be able to consume telco APIs for their regional business with ease,” said Bridge Alliance CEO Dr Ong Geok Chwee. “More importantly, all parties benefit from our streamlined technical and commercial framework when working with network APIs.”
“Providing developers with ubiquitous access to open, programmable network functionality through common APIs will empower them to innovate at hyperscale,” said Aduna CEO Anthony Bartolo (above). “This partnership with Bridge Alliance accelerates Aduna’s aims by offering telecom operators and developers unparalleled access to harmonised network APIs across partners’ networks, while offering all Bridge Alliance members access to network APIs across Aduna global partner network.”
Orange LiveNet
Orange, a member of Aduna, and one of the original partners of the GSMA’s Open Gateway initiative launched two years ago at MWC, has launched Orange LiveNet, a dedicated business unit aimed at marketing network APIs. Read more here.
The APIs will support Number Verification and SIM Swap, and be available nationwide in the US this year – and there is progress in Canada too
Aduna announced venture partners AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon are to deliver the first network APIs for Number Verification and SIM Swap in the US. Aduna is a joint venture between 13 of the world’s largest telecom operators and Ericsson, launched last September.
For the first time, the US’ three biggest operators are supporting “standardized, open network APIs…offering a trusted, carrier-grade solution for secure authentication,” according to Ericsson. The plan is to reduce fraud and “reliance on costly, fragmented verification methods”.
Both APIs will be available nationwide in the US this year.
Anthony Bartolo, CEO of Aduna. “This pivotal moment for the mobile ecosystem demonstrates not only the importance of collaboration, but also the reality of global coverage capabilities. Our strategy of redefining connectivity is unlocking faster, carrier-backed authentication at scale.”
Canada too
Aduna also announced a strategic partnership with Canada’s EnStream LP, “marking a comprehensive Canadian expansion of its network API ecosystem,” according to the press statement.
EnStream is a joint venture between Canada’s biggest operators – Bell, Rogers and TELUS. Apparently, it “has been instrumental in positioning Canada as a global leader in network APIs. By leveraging mobile data across the country’s largest telecom providers, EnStream has facilitated secure, frictionless authentication and fraud prevention solutions for businesses, including major financial institutions”.
Now the idea is that EnStream’s APIs will be integrated into Aduna’s platform to accelerate global adoption of telecom-enabled security and verification services.
Partner content: AI is fundamentally reshaping how telecoms providers approach customer experience – transitioning from network-centric operations to customer-focused service delivery
Artificial intelligence (AI) is enabling operators to move network-centric operations to customer-focused service delivery that anticipates and responds to individual needs in real time.
By integrating sophisticated AI solutions, telecom companies can now unravel the complex relationships between technical performance metrics, quality of service indicators, and subscriber behavior patterns. This technological evolution enables operators to transcend traditional technical key performance indicators and deliver truly personalized experiences that drive meaningful business results. Companies like Infovista, generating unique data and combining network and subscriber intelligence, fuel the AI solutions that connect network performance directly to customer experience.
The strategic importance of customer experience in today’s telecom landscape
In the highly competitive telecom sector, customer experience has emerged as a critical competitive differentiator that directly impacts retention rates, conversion success, and business expansion. While recent industry research indicates nearly three-quarters of telecom executives consider CX a top priority, conventional measurement approaches remain problematic.
Traditional evaluation methods — including survey-based metrics and internal performance indicators—frequently miss the mark. Surveys suffer from recall bias and limited participation, while technical KPIs often track parameters that don’t necessarily reflect actual customer priorities. This disconnect creates a significant challenge: operators struggle to identify the true drivers of customer satisfaction and connect experience improvements to tangible business outcomes.
AI technology addresses this fundamental gap by enabling providers to process and analyze enormous volumes of network and service performance data alongside customer behavior patterns, creating actionable intelligence that drives strategic decision-making.
The AI-enhanced approach to customer experience
The rapid development of Generative AI, particularly large language models (LLMs), is reshaping traditional operations. At the core of this transformation are GenAI-powered agentic frameworks that deploy specialized autonomous AI-agents that can plan independently, execute complex tasks, collaborate across systems, and continuously learn from outcomes—all while integrating seamlessly with existing operational infrastructure.
This agentic architecture allows service providers to implement intent-based operations and progress toward closed-loop automation and autonomous networks. While these advances significantly enhance network management and service delivery, the customer insights generated through these systems deliver value throughout the organization, empowering teams across departments to create exceptional, personalized experiences.
Consider this scenario: An operations manager needs to know: “Did any premium subscribers experience below-threshold download speeds at Central Station between 7:30-8:00 AM? How does this compare to competitor performance? Generate trouble tickets for affected VIPs and schedule a recurring report for management.”
What appears straightforward actually requires correlating multiple data sources and complex analysis—traditionally requiring specialized technical knowledge and access to disparate systems. With an AI agent framework embedded into solutions like Infovista’s Ativa ™, the natural language request is interpreted, decomposed into specialized tasks, and executed across orchestrated AI agents to deliver comprehensive insights almost instantly.
Practical applications: creating business value through AI-enhanced customer experience
Advanced multi-agent systems, powered by machine learning and generative AI, provide operators with sophisticated capabilities to enhance customer experience management and deliver measurable business results:
1. Granular experience analysis
Operators can transition from broad, aggregated metrics to multi-dimensional analysis that evaluates customer experience through interconnected data points—including application-specific latency, service usage patterns, device capabilities, location context, and real-time network conditions. This comprehensive approach reveals deeper insights into factors affecting service quality, enabling proactive intervention.
2. Automated experience management
AI agents enable operators to implement automated, proactive measures based on real-time insights—such as dynamically reallocating network resources to prevent service degradation or triggering personalized offers for customers showing early churn indicators. This automation reduces operational overhead, accelerates response times, and improves satisfaction metrics.
3. Precision-targeted campaigns
By analyzing individual usage patterns and preferences, AI agents help operators segment their subscriber base with unprecedented precision. This enables highly customized campaigns that address specific needs — for instance, offering specialized streaming packages to video-intensive users experiencing congestion during peak hours. These tailored approaches enhance satisfaction, strengthen loyalty, and increase revenue.
4. Network-business outcome correlation
AI enables operators to establish clear relationships between technical network performance and critical business metrics such as customer experience scores, behavioral changes, and revenue generation. This correlation provides actionable intelligence—allowing providers to predict potential churn based on service degradation patterns, identify targeted upsell opportunities, and optimize resource allocation to support strategic objectives.
5. Evidence-based decision optimization
AI-driven insights equip leadership teams to make more effective strategic and operational decisions aligned with business goals. Capital expenditure planning becomes more targeted by identifying precisely where network investments will deliver maximum returns while simultaneously enhancing customer satisfaction.
Implementation framework: building AI-powered telecom customer experience
Successfully implementing AI requires a comprehensive, organization-wide strategy. Telecom operators should establish these foundational elements to strengthen their customer experience initiatives:
1. Data infrastructure maturity
High-quality, accessible, real-time network and customer data forms the essential foundation for effective AI-powered decision-making.
2. AI capability development
Whether through strategic partnerships with specialized AI providers or by building internal expertise, operators must develop robust capabilities to extract transformative insights and enable autonomous network operations.
3. Cross-functional integration
Successful AI adoption requires alignment across organizational boundaries. Effective collaboration between technical teams (network engineering, data science) and commercial functions (marketing, customer support) ensures insights translate into meaningful business actions.
4. Privacy-centric approach
Rigorous adherence to evolving data protection regulations (GDPR, CCPA) remains essential. Transparent, responsible data practices build customer trust while ensuring regulatory compliance.
5. Continuous learning systems
AI models require ongoing refinement to maintain effectiveness. Establishing systematic processes for continuous monitoring, evaluation, and improvement ensures AI systems consistently deliver measurable value.
The path forward
By embracing advanced AI technologies while implementing strong foundational processes, telecommunications providers can transform their networks into truly customer-centric assets while unlocking new growth opportunities. The future of telecommunications lies in leveraging artificial intelligence to create responsive, personalized experiences that enhance customer satisfaction, maximize revenue potential, optimize operational efficiency, and secure long-term competitive advantage. Forward-thinking operators who implement intelligent solutions now will lead the next wave of telecommunications innovation.
About the author
Rayan Salha is the Product Marketing Director for Automated Assurance at Infovista and has over two decades of telecom industry experience, specializing in service assurance. His background spans sales, business development, and marketing, with roles at Siemens, Nokia, and other leading service assurance companies.
stc’s Olayan Alwetaid and Ana María Sala join board of directors, with Carlos Ocaña as new vice-chairman, bringing the board back to 15 members with 40% women
Telefónica’s board has “unanimously approved” Olayan Alwetaid and Ana María Sala as new directors of the company.Alwetaid joins the Board as proprietary director, representing the shareholder Green Bridge Investment Company SCS/stc Group. His appointment fills the vacancy arising from the death of Vice-chair José Javier Echenique last December.
Olayan Alwetaid’s background is in executive management with more than 20 years’ experience in telecoms, media and tech. He has been CEO of Saudi Telecom Group, the biggest mobile operator in the Middle East, since March 2021. Prior to that he held senior roles within the operator. He pioneered expanding the “value proposition” around mobile and fixed connectivity, smartphones and devices, digital media, financial services and direct carrier billing for many leading services.
Francisco José Riberas voluntarily resigned his position as director of Telefónica ahead of his term expiring on 23 April. Ana María Sala will fill the place as an independent director. She has a degree in Law from the Universidad Autónoma of Barcelona; Master’s Degree in Comparative Law from the Universidad Autónoma of Barcelona; LL.M. University of California at Berkeley (USA); and a PhD in Law from the Pompeu Fabra University of Barcelona and is an assistant professor at Pompeu Fabra University and director of Law Studies at the Universidad Virtual UOC of Barcelona.
She joined Cortés Abogados in 2005 and has been a partner of the firm since 2014. She is the author of books and publications on Commercial Law.
Telefonica says these changes mean the Board of Directors now has its full complement of 15 members, with 40% of the board women and a majority of independent directors.
New vice chair and committee members
The board appointed Director Carlos Ocaña as the new Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Telefónica.
The Council has also appointed María Luisa García Blanco as a member of the Executive Commission; Carlos Ocaña as member of the Nominating, Compensation and Corporate Governance Committee; and Ana María Sala as a member of the Sustainability and Regulation Committee to replace María Luisa García Blanco.
Argentina’s President Milei slams Spanish operator group’s sale of Argentinian opco while Telefónica’s new Chair talks about building European resilience in uncertain times
Telefónica has completed the the sale of its Argentine subsidiary, leaving the buyer to face any fallout from the regulatory process and the fury of the country’s President.
Telefónica sold all the shares it holds in Telefónica Móviles Argentina, representing 99.999625% of its share capital, and all the share capital of its operation in Argentina to Telecom Argentina for €1.19 billion in cash. This is considerably above the €800 million value that analysts had estimated. Telecom Argentina is controlled by Cablevisión Holding and the Grupo Clarín.
To put the size of this deal in some context, the entire Telefónica Group has a market cap of about €24 billion and €29 billion of debt.
Presidential preference
El Economista reports that Javier Milei, President of Argentina, cannot overturn the sale although he had strongly objected to the transaction, arguing it reduced the amount of competition and choice in the Argentinian market. Now any if Milei attempts to leverage the regulatory regime to slow or stop the sale, the buyer will have to settle the matter in court or through divestments, El Economista says.
He issued an official statement on hearing of the deal, saying the transaction will go through the National Communications Entity (ENACOM) and the National Commission for the Defense of Competition (CNCD) “to evaluate whether this operation does not constitute the formation of a monopoly.”
In the same statement, the Argentine government pointed out that the transaction will leave approximately 70% of telecoms services in the hands of a single commercial group.
Faster execution
Earlier this month, shareholders, seemingly led by the Spanish government, ousted the long-standing CEO and Chair Jose Maria Alvarez-Pallete, replacing him with British-born Marc Murtra (pictured), who has a long affiliations with state-owned organisations in Spain. The Spanish government holds a 10% stake in Telefonica, making it the group’s biggest shareholder. Murtra joined from the Spanish state-backed defence company, Indra Sistemas, where he was President from 2021 to 2025.
Alvarez-Pallete had said the group would exit Latin America, apart from Brazil, in a strategy announcement in 2019, which rolled into its next five year strategy plan. Murta’s pace in executing that plan since taking office has been breathtaking. While Argentina’s President issued angry missives, Murta was busy giving his first interview at the head of Telefonica to the Financial Times.
Sticking to your knitting
Murtra told the FT that he wants to help boost Europe’s “strategic autonomy” through telecoms mergers and continent-wide consolidation. This is everything the European Commission has fought against since the liberalisation of telecoms started in the 1980s in the name of competition and choice for consumers.
Murtra compared the telecoms market to the defence industry before Russia invaded Ukraine in that its importance was not sufficiently appreciated. One might add the defence sector has become far more appreciated since the US’ Vice-President’s speech in Munich a couple of weeks ago. Regardless, Murtra is making the point that Europeans’ know-how is precious but must be fostered, and could counterbalance Big Tech. “My view is that while calamities are inevitable, decadence is not,” he was cited saying.
He added that a strategic review of Telefonica would be completed in the second half of 2025 but he would not seek to compete with US Big Techco in areas outside telecoms: “We’re going to focus on what we know how to do better than anybody else,” he added.
As the late and much-missed Maev Sullivan used to say, “Telephone companies should stick to their knitting”.
Operator has customers’ traffic running on NaaS platform which it claims is one of the largest in the world
BT says customers’ traffic is now live on Global Fabric, its Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) platform for multinational customers announced in October 2023.
The first service available via the platform is Global Fabric Internet. Via a web portal, customers can view connectivity to their apps, network health, events and alerts, and make changes to their connectivity at will. For example, scaling bandwidth up and down, and provisioning new connections as required.
Global Fabric Internet is available on the same physical port as other connectivity services BT will launch over the coming year thanks to the platform’s pioneering hardware and digital orchestration layer.
BT states it is adding more customers, scale and features to the platform, such as intent-based routing, building up to the launch of IP VPN and Ethernet connectivity services. They will be offered alongside solutions such as cyber-security to defend against DDoS and SD-WAN.
Still expanding infra
Earlier this month, BT Business announced a deal with Equinix to extend its footprint and capabilities, and says the partnership makes it one of the world’s largest NaaS platforms. When fully built-out, the Global Fabric will be available to customers around the globe via 140 points of presence (PoPs) hosted in “the world’s top cloud locations” across 40 countries. BT adds the new infrastructure will offer 74% direct coverage of hyperscalers’ clouds and pre-provisioned connectivity to more than 700 data centres.
Bas Burger, CEO, Business, BT, said, “Today marks the start of a new era of international business connectivity. Customers are now joining us on a journey to combine the full power of cloud and networks to drive adoption of digital services, such as AI. For BT, it marks a milestone in the delivery of our strategy for customers — to provide rock solid foundations for their digital business plans.”
An uncertain future?
Just how secure the Global Fabric’s future is with BT remains to be seen, given that BT Group’s CEO, Allison Kirkby’s strategy is to focus on its domestic market, the UK. Whether the Global Fabric remains in BT’s hands, or BT attracts a partner/investor to share the cost and risk, or sells it off, the NaaS platform faces some stiff competition – and telcos have at best a chequered history as offering ICT solutions globally to multinationals.
On the other hand, it might be that Global Fabric’s prescient and pioneering approach to resilience – described here by BT Business’ CTO (and much of the brains behind the Global Fabric) Colin Bannon – will be very popular with European multinationals caught up in the maelstrom of geopolitics.
James Eibisch, Research Director, IDC European Enterprise Communications Services, is upbeat. In a quotation on the press release he stated,“The disruption and evolution of enterprise IT doesn’t stop with digital transformation. The profound growth of AI and the unpredictability of today’s geopolitics create uncertainty about how companies should plan and adapt for the future.
“To cope with this uncertainty, they need flexibility above all, and a platform approach to delivering connectivity and services provides that. BT Global Fabric helps businesses access technology and services in a secure and sovereign manner, wherever it is located and whenever it is needed.”
