IBM announced the launch of its Cloud for Telecommunications platform alongside 35 partners who have committed to joining its ecosystem. The project is an open, hybrid cloud architecture designed to help telecommunications providers address the specific challenges of the highly-regulated industry; this includes accelerating business transformation, enhancing digital client engagement, and improving agility to “unlock the power of 5G and the edge.”
According to a recent IBV study, 60 percent of Communications Service Provider leaders surveyed agree that they must virtualize their entire network across edge locations. Still, only half are prepared to do so in a cloud-native environment. With IBM’s Cloud for Telecommunications, built on the IBM Cloud Satellite, and leveraging Red Hat OpenShift, clients can deploy IBM cloud services anywhere. The platform also integrates and extends IBM Edge Application Manager and IBM Telco Network Cloud Manager to reduce network-related infrastructure costs, increase automation, speed deployment of next-generation services, and deliver new consumer and enterprise value.
The collaboration between partners enables the Cloud for Telecommunications platform to benefit from solutions within the ecosystem, which “positions partners as the engine to drive a multitude of possibilities for clients.” Ecosystem partners include network equipment providers, independent software vendors (ISVs), software-as-a-service providers, and hardware partners. Partners include Nokia, Samsung, Cisco, and many more.
IBM offers its ecosystem access to its Cloud Engagement Fund—part of a $1B investment—to support partners with funding, technical enablement, and creating proofs of concept. As part of a “co-creation” venture, IBM is committed to aiding global partners to deploy comprehensive client solutions.
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