Microsoft announced they're building a carrier-grade cloud, thus entering 5G cloud arena. Azure for Operators employs assets purchased from Metaswitch and Affirmed Networks earlier this year to provide capabilities spanning network interconnect, edge computing, network function virtualisation, cloud services and IoT.
“The platform marked a new chapter in the company’s work with the telecoms industry, offering the ability to future-proof networks, cut costs and create new services and business models,“ Jason Zander, EVP of Microsoft Azure, wrote in a blog. Future technologies targeted include network slicing and service-based architectures, he added. Microsoft previously made cloud collaboration deals with operators including AT&T, Telstra and Etisalat.
Samsung announced the company made an agreement to collaborate with Microsoft on an end-to-end, cloud-based private 5G network solution. As a part of this collaboration, the two companies plan to advance the virtualization of 5G solutions, which will include the deployment of Samsung’s virtualized RAN, virtualized Core, and Multi-access Edge Computing technologies on Microsoft Azure. Samsung added that the key goal of the collaboration is to drive innovation that lowers the barrier to entry for deployment of private 5G networks in enterprises, including retail stores, smart factories, and entertainment venues, such as stadiums.
Nokia and SURF, the organization for IT in Dutch education and research, have successfully reached a single carrier 800Gb/s optical transmission over SURF’s existing cross-border, multi-vendor research and education network infrastructure.
Nokia and Vodafone are collaborating to test the viability of L4S technology over passive optical networks (PON).
The GSMA believes that critical reform of European laws is necessary to position the region as a technology frontrunner by 2030.
