2021 Showcase

2021 Telco Infrastructure Report

The 2021 Telco Infrastructure Report examines major telco initiatives like 5G, SD-WAN/SASE, private networks, IoT, OSS/BSS modernization and the choices telcos face in building the next-generation telco cloud to support these efforts.
Analysis by AvidThink

What the 2021 Telco Infrastructure report finds

Across these interviews, telcos are re-platforming onto cloud-native infrastructure while wrestling with how much to keep in-house versus hand to hyperscalers. The recurring theme is coexistence: telco-owned clouds and edges running alongside public cloud, glued together by open standards, automation, and CI/CD.

  1. Telco cloud coexists with public cloud

    Colt keeps server farms alongside public cloud, and Spirent and TelcoDR argue operators must exploit public cloud without ceding strategic control. Aarna Networks notes telcos lack the appetite to run tens of thousands of edge clouds themselves.

  2. Cloud-native is the new foundation

    IBM builds its Cloud for Telecommunications on Red Hat OpenShift, while Ribbon Communications lays out key considerations for moving telecom workloads to cloud-native deployments and frictionless integration.

  3. Automation and CI/CD drive agility

    Lenovo sees automation and orchestration powering the next-gen telco cloud for 5G data, and Ribbon details automating its CI/CD pipeline to align with customers' own environments.

  4. Open standards define the infrastructure

    LF Networking's Anuket merges GSMA's CNTT specs with OPNFV testing to define foundational telco infrastructure, while ONF's SD-RAN implements an O-RAN consistent 5G RAN stack for future telco clouds.

  5. Sovereignty and flexibility shape investment

    Ekinops highlights how Europe's data sovereignty rules push open operating systems and local data handling, while Telia Carrier's CEO stresses network flexibility as the lasting lesson of 2020.

  6. Hyperscalers court the operators

    Microsoft's Azure for Operators re-engineered its cloud to be carrier-grade for network workloads, signaling that public cloud vendors are building specifically for telco requirements.

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Highlights from industry thought leaders

Video interviews

Aarna Networks

Top 5 Ideas about Telco Cloud

  • Aarna Networks' Amar Kapadia argues telcos lack the skill and appetite to manage tens of thousands of edge clouds.
  • Public cloud vendors have the capabilities telcos need for the new telco cloud.
Abstract
Telcos don’t have the skill and appetite to manage tens of thousands of edge clouds, but the public cloud vendors do. Amar Kapadia, Co-founder at Aarna Networks, shares his top 5 ideas for the new telco cloud.
Colt

Telco Server Farms vs Public Clouds

  • Colt's Peter Coppens says telco-owned server farms will coexist with public cloud alternatives.
  • Colt is moving toward telco cloud and network edge to deliver functionality to customers.
Abstract
Telco-owned server farms will co-exist with public cloud alternatives. Peter Coppens, VP Product at Colt, talks about how Colt is moving more toward the telco cloud and network edge to deliver functionality to their customers vs the public cloud alternative.
Comcast Business

Telco Cloud Requires a Forward-looking Platform

  • Comcast Business's Jeff Lewis stresses that carrier networks must scale.
  • A forward-looking platform approach helps bring in more products and services.
Abstract
As a carrier, networks need to scale. Jeff Lewis, Vice President, Software-defined Networking (SDN) at Comcast Business, talks about the importance of a forward-looking platform approach to bring in more products and services.
Ekinops

How Europe's Data Sovereignty Rules are Driving Changes to the Vendor Landscape

  • Ekinops' Sylvain Quartier notes varied global laws make local data management challenging for cloud vendors.
  • These challenges drive more secure networks and highlight the importance of an open operating system.
Abstract
With different laws in place around the world it can be challenging for cloud vendors to manage data locally. In this video, Sylvain Quartier, Vice President, Marketing and Product Strategy at Ekinops, talks about how these challenges drive a more secure network and highlight the importance of an open operating system.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise

HPE Telco Blueprints for Next-Gen Infrastructure

  • HPE's Roshan Thekkekunnel covers the fundamentals of a Telco Blueprint for next-gen infrastructure.
Abstract
Great architecture begins with solid blueprints. Roshan Thekkekunnel, Group Manager, HPE, covers the fundamentals of a Telco Blueprint for next-gen infrastructure.
IBM

IBM builds a Cloud for Telecommunications

  • IBM's Bill Lambertson overviews the IBM Cloud for Telecommunications.
  • Red Hat OpenShift is positioned as a strategic advantage.
Abstract
Bill Lambertson, Vice President, 5G, Edge & Cloud Business at IBM, gives an overview of the IBM Cloud for Telecommunications, and why Red Hat OpenShift is a strategic advantage.
Lenovo

Automation and Orchestration will drive the Next Gen Telco Cloud

  • Lenovo's Chadie Ghadie examines infrastructure features telcos need to become more agile and software-driven.
  • Greater automation supports the data generated from 5G.
Abstract
It all starts with the infrastructure. In this video, Chadie Ghadie, Director of Business Development at Lenovo, looks at key infrastructure features required for telcos to become more agile, more software driven, and more automated in support of the data that is generated from 5G.
LF Networking Anuket

Introducing Anuket

  • LF Networking's Anuket merges GSMA's CNTT specifications with OPNFV implementation and testing work.
  • Heather Kirksey introduces Anuket as defining foundational infrastructure for next-gen telcos.
Abstract
The Anuket Project brings together GSMA’s CNTT specifications with the implementation and testing work of OPNFV to create a project that defines the foundational infrastructure for next-gen telcos. In this video, Heather Kirksey, VP of Ecosystem and Community at LF Networking, introduces Anuket.
Microsoft Azure

Microsoft builds Azure for Operators

  • Microsoft's Shawn Hakl explains how Azure for Operators helps operators adopt cloud for network workloads.
  • Azure made important changes to build a carrier-grade cloud.
Abstract
What is Azure for Operators? In this video, Shawn Hakl, VP 5G Strategy at Microsoft Azure, talks about how Microsoft Azure helps network operators adopt cloud technologies for their network workloads and the important changes Azure made to build a carrier-grade cloud.
Open Networking Foundation

O-RAN Opens Doors for New Telco xApps

  • ONF's Timon Sloane details its first SD-RAN release, an O-RAN consistent end-to-end 5G RAN stack.
  • SD-RAN is intended to run as a key workload on future telco clouds.
Abstract
Timon Sloane, VP of Marketing and Ecosystem at the Open Networking Foundation, looks at ONF’s first release of the SD-RAN project that implements an O-RAN consistent end-to-end mobile 5G RAN stack intended to run as a key workload on future telco clouds.
Ribbon Communications

3 Key Considerations for Cloud-Native Telco Deployments

  • Ribbon's Justin Hart offers three key considerations for moving telecom workloads to cloud-native deployment.
Abstract
Are you ready to move your telecommunications workloads to a cloud-native deployment? Here are three key considerations from Justin Hart, CTO, Cloud & Edge Business Unit at Ribbon Communications.
Ribbon Communications

The Journey to CI/CD and Automation

  • Ribbon automates its CI/CD pipeline to align with and enable customers' CI/CD environments.
  • Automation enables cloud-native operations and frictionless integration of Ribbon's delivered artifacts.
Abstract
When we talk about embracing the principles of CI/CD, the goal is to automate Ribbon’s CI/CD pipeline to align with, and enable, our customer’s CI/CD environment. It also encompasses how automation enables cloud native operations. This engineering discussion delves into Ribbon’s adoption of CI/CD and cloud native operations and how the artifacts delivered by Ribbon enable frictionless integration with their customer’s automation environments.
Spirent

Redefining Telco Cloud

  • Spirent's Marc Cohn says public cloud momentum forces operators to consider how to exploit it.
  • He discusses the fundamental ways telco cloud differs from public cloud.
Abstract
The public cloud is gaining so much momentum that the telco operators must give serious consideration to how they could exploit it. Marc Cohn, Principal Technology Strategist at Spirent, discusses the fundamental ways the telco cloud varies from the public cloud.
TelcoDR

Will Telcos Lose Strategic Control if they go to Public Clouds?

  • TelcoDR's Danielle Royston argues telcos retain strategic assets and control even when running on other clouds.
  • She weighs the strategic risks for telco clouds.
Abstract
“The strategic assets are still in the telcos’ hands. They are still fully in control of what’s running over at those other clouds.” In this video, Danielle Royston, Telecom's Leading Public Cloud Evangelist at TelcoDR, weighs the strategic risks for telco clouds.
Telia Carrier

Telco Cloud Network Flexibility

  • Telia Carrier CEO Staffan Gojeryd stresses network flexibility as the key lesson of 2020.
  • He shares views on network infrastructure investments.
Abstract
“If we learned something during 2020, it is that flexibility of the network is extraordinarily important.” Staffan Göjeryd, CEO of Telia Carrier, shares some views on network infrastructure investments.
"The telco infrastructure decision is now a strategic business decision. It is not a single choice but a series of ongoing smaller decisions tied to significant initiatives." - 2021 Telco Infrastructure Report
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