The demand for mobile connectivity and cloud-based services is accelerating rapidly. By 2025, the global data sphere will reach 181 zettabytes, up from 79 zettabytes in 2021. There will also be over 50 billion connected devices by 2030.
Operators are partnering with hyper-scale cloud providers like Microsoft to modernise their networks to keep up. These partnerships allow operators to leverage the global reach, increased service velocity, and cost savings of cloud platforms.
Microsoft’s hybrid cloud strategy
Microsoft recognises that operators have complex and mission-critical workloads with high throughput, low latency, and regulatory compliance demands.
Microsoft’s hybrid architecture facilitates ideal workload distribution across operator premises, public cloud, and enterprise premises.
This allows workloads to reside where it makes the most sense based on factors like latency, data sovereignty, and security.
Key benefits of cloud adoption
By adopting Microsoft’s hybrid cloud solutions like Azure and Azure Operator Nexus, operators gain significant benefits:
- Cloud economics and lower TCO.
- Increased infrastructure flexibility.
- Faster service velocity for rolling out new offerings.
- Streamlined innovation through cloud-native design.
- Reduced OpEx through extensive automation.
- Lower CapEx by right-sizing investments.
There are also significant workflow and capability improvements:
Intelligent automation and analytics
Transitioning to a software-defined infrastructure enables operators to implement automation, reduce operational complexity, and optimise costs.
With Azure’s AI and machine learning capabilities, they can tap into networking data to enable self-healing automation and prescriptive analytics. Powerful tools provide a unified view of hybrid networks and workloads for streamlined monitoring and management.
Preserving operator control
Even as they leverage hyper-scaler partnerships, operators must retain control of critical functions like network policy, slicing, APIs, and edge cloud.
Microsoft aims to enable this control while providing cloud economics and innovation. Operators maintain ownership of customers, brands, service creation, and experiences.
Embracing cloud computing
Adopting cloud technology requires transformation across products, infrastructure, and organisations. Microsoft is a trusted partner on this journey by meeting strict telecom industry security, performance, and carrier-grade reliability requirements.
With unified governance and compliance across hybrid environments, operators can adopt cloud services at their own pace.
Looking ahead
Hyperscale cloud partnerships help operators diversify revenue streams and increase value with innovative new services.
Microsoft’s hybrid strategy and carrier-grade platform aim to support operators’ cloud adoption journeys today and into the future. Together, Microsoft and operators can deliver world-class connected experiences.
With cloud-native infrastructure, operators can implement automation, reduce complexity, and optimise costs. In the future, we expect to see operators leverage cloud partnerships to enable new revenue streams such as edge computing and IoT services.
