Azure for Operators Modernizes Telecom Networks with AI and Cloud Solutions

Azure for Operators is revolutionizing the way telecom networks are managed and maintained.

With Azure's AI-powered solutions, operators can automate tasks and make data-driven decisions to improve network performance and customer satisfaction.

Azure's cloud-based platform provides a scalable and secure environment for operators to deploy and manage their networks.

Operators can also leverage Azure's machine learning capabilities to predict and prevent network outages, reducing downtime and improving overall network reliability.

Azure Operator Nexus is a next-generation, carrier-grade, hybrid platform that empowers telecom operators to modernize and transform their networks. It enables operators to use cloud technology to modernize and monetize their network investments.

This platform is designed to support mission-critical workloads and has been validated by tier 1 operators. It accelerates time to market for new services, lowers total cost of ownership (TCO), and drives operational efficiency and resiliency.

Operator Nexus enables operators to run workloads on-premises or on Azure, seamlessly deploying and managing everything from the bare metal to the network to the tenant. It has been deployed in various scenarios, including supporting 5G standalone rollouts as a primary platform and expanding capabilities to address national security requirements in multiple regions.

Here are some key benefits of Operator Nexus:

Operator Nexus is part of Microsoft's Azure for Operators platform, which has a long history of supporting telcos through the process of digital transformation and cloud migration.

Azure Operator Insights brings AI-enabled insights to operators, empowering them to drive efficiency, speed, and accuracy in network operations.

This service is a game-changer for network engineers, allowing them to spend more time solving problems and less time diagnosing customer issues. Copilot in Azure Operator Insights efficiently identifies, mitigates, and resolves network issues, moving operators from reactive to proactive and predictive network management.

Network health can be continuously monitored across multiple underlying management systems, detecting anomalous health metrics and visualizing the interaction of complex services. Network health alerts inform LLM-based prompts, accelerating the ability to mitigate issues using suggestions analyzed from data sources like product manuals and troubleshooting guides.

Azure Operator Insights removes data silos and delivers actionable business insights by analyzing massive quantities of network data gathered from complex multi-vendor network functions. This service can analyze data streams sized at multiple petabytes per day in timeframes that conventional toolsets cannot achieve.

Generative AI is transforming the telecommunications industry, with potential annual contributions of 2.6 to 4.4 trillion USD to the global economy by 2040. Azure Operator Insights is a key part of this transformation, driving network automation and insights, and enhancing employee decision-making and service assurance.

By leveraging the latest AI advancements, operators can tackle complex scenarios like network health, performance, security, and end-to-end customer experience. Azure Operator Insights uses a modern data mesh architecture, enabling complex domains to be broken into manageable sub-domains called data products that integrate massive datasets from different sources and vendors.

We're committed to supporting our customers' security and compliance obligations. We've joined the GSMA Network Equipment Security Assurance Scheme (NESAS) to ensure the security and compliance of our products.

By joining NESAS, we demonstrate our leadership in providing secure and trustworthy solutions for the telecom industry. This common security framework enhances transparency and confidence in the network equipment supply chain.

Specific to the UK, we support the UK Telecoms Security Assurance (TSA) code of practice. This shows our dedication to meeting the unique security needs of the UK market.

We stay constantly vigilant, developing our networks and systems with security as our first principle. We're prepared for sophisticated attacks on the national communications infrastructure.

We welcome Microsoft Azure for Operators to the NESAS, and we look forward to working together to advance the security and reliability of telecom networks around the world.

Azure for operators is revolutionizing the way mobile networks are built and managed. With Azure Operator 5G Core, operators can deploy network workloads on Azure and manage their networks at scale with agility and cost efficiency.

Azure Operator 5G Core is built on a distributed architecture and includes cloud management, service automation, life cycle management, network slicing, and integrated analytics. This allows operators to provide an enhanced and customized user experience and leverage open APIs to easily integrate with their existing environments.

Operators can create new vertical solutions such as gaming, energy, smart cities, autonomous vehicles, agriculture, etc. by leveraging Azure Operator 5G Core and Microsoft’s vast ecosystem of first and third-party tools.

By deploying an all-G packet core with Azure Operator 5G Core, operators can deliver a secure, cloud-managed, scalable solution that accelerates digital transformation. This includes support for “Any G” from 2G to 5G cores deployed on the operator core, on the operator edge, or in the Azure cloud.

Azure public MEC integrates Azure compute and services with mobile operator 5G connectivity, elevating application performance at the operator edge. This enables enterprises and developers to deliver innovative high-performance, low-latency applications at the operator edge.

With Azure public MEC, enterprises and developers can select the low-latency components they need from the cloud to deliver at the edge while managing everything else in the cloud. This level of flexibility allows customers to rapidly deploy innovative MEC solutions.

Azure for Operators offers a range of cloud and hybrid solutions designed to support the digital transformation of telcos. These solutions enable operators to modernize their networks, improve efficiency, and enhance customer experiences.

Azure Operator Nexus is a carrier-grade, hybrid platform that provides deep integration with the Azure cloud, unlocking improved efficiency, scalability, security, and reliability. It enables operators to run workloads on-premises or on Azure, seamlessly deploying and managing everything from the bare metal to the network to the tenant.

With Azure Operator Nexus, operators can accelerate time to market for new services, lower total cost of ownership (TCO), drive operational efficiency and resiliency, and improve the security of highly distributed, software-based networks.

Here are some key capabilities of Azure Operator Nexus:

Microsoft's Azure Operator Nexus is a next-generation, carrier-grade, hybrid platform that empowers telecom operators to modernize and transform their networks. It enables operators to use cloud technology to modernize and monetize their network investments.

Azure Operator Nexus accelerates time to market for new services, lowers total cost of ownership (TCO), drives operational efficiency and resiliency, and improves the security of highly distributed, software-based networks.

This platform is built to run workloads on-premises or on Azure, seamlessly deploying and managing everything from the bare metal to the network to the tenant. It's purpose-built for and validated by tier 1 operators to run mission-critical workloads.

Azure Operator Nexus has been deployed in various regions, supporting 5G standalone rollouts as primary platforms. It has also expanded capabilities to address national security requirements in multiple regions.

Here are some key features and benefits of Azure Operator Nexus:

Microsoft continues to be uniquely positioned to support telco network transformation and to pave the way for operators to leverage the power of AI. Its Azure for Operators has a long history of supporting telcos through the process of digital transformation and cloud migration.

When working with Azure Service Operator, it's essential to understand the different versions available. There are two major versions: v1 and v2.

Both v1 and v2 are independent operators, each with its own set of CRDs and controllers. They can be deployed side by side in the same cluster.

The current stable version is v2, which is under active development. This means new features and improvements are being added regularly.

v1, on the other hand, is in beta stage and has been halted in development. This means it's not receiving new features or updates.

You can install v2 using a Helm chart, GitHub release 2.x, or by following the installation example. v1 can be installed using a Helm chart, OperatorHub, or GitHub release 1.x.

Here's a summary of the main differences between v1 and v2:

Aso V2 is a significant upgrade to the original Azure Service Operator, bringing several key improvements.

One of the main advantages of ASO v2 is its ability to support code-generated CRDs based on Azure OpenAPI specifications, making it easier to add new resources as they are requested.

This means faster development and deployment of new features, which is a major win for anyone working with Azure.

Here are some of the key features of ASO v2:

With ASO v2, you can be confident that your Azure resources are being managed efficiently and effectively.

Our partner ecosystem is thriving, with over 20 Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) and dozens of System Integrators (SIs) and operator partners on board.

Microsoft is actively working with these partners to develop modern connected applications that run on Azure private MEC. This includes solutions like Glartek's Augmented & Connected Worker platform, which uses AR to support enterprise operations.

Scenera's MAIstro software as a service (SaaS) is another notable example, offering a comprehensive solution for orchestrating AI analytics seamlessly from edge to cloud. Tampnet's offshore private networks provide secure connectivity for offshore operators and vessels.

TaqtileManifest Mixed Reality Work Instruction Solution leverages mixed reality to improve operational workflows. T-Mobile's 5G Advanced Network Solutions provides "right-sized" solutions for enterprises. Zebra Technologies Corporation's Workcloud Communication platform enables secure and reliable communication for front-line workers.

Here are some of the new partner solutions available on Azure Marketplace:

Microsoft is committed to being the most trusted co-innovation partner through every stage of the digital evolution, working with operators and enterprises to future-proof networks and unlock new revenue streams in a cloud- and AI-native future.

Azure for Operators has been evolving since September 2020, when the initiative was first unveiled to help operators transform their own networks.

In June 2021, a new category called Azure private multi-access edge compute (MEC) was introduced, empowering operators and system integrators to unlock the enterprise 5G opportunity.

The next wave of Azure for Operators solutions and services is being announced today, building on the progress made so far.

Imagine the benefits of improved bandwidth, reliability, and reduced latency that communities and organizations can experience by leveraging cloud-to-edge technology without compromising security, critical services, or key workloads.

Azure for Operators solutions and services are designed to help operators evolve their own networks and assist enterprises in maximizing their industry 4.0 opportunities.

Azure for Operators is introducing a network analytics solution accelerator program, providing a standardized approach to data acquisition and visualization.

This program aids operators on their journey toward complete end-to-end AI Operations (AIOps). Azure for Operators is focused on making network insights more accessible and efficient.

Security is a top priority for next-generation telecommunication networks, with attacks on national communications infrastructure becoming increasingly sophisticated.

Sophisticated attacks on national communications infrastructure are inevitable, so it's crucial to develop networks and systems with security as the top priority.

We must stay constantly vigilant to protect against these attacks.

The next generation of telecommunication networks demands robust security measures to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches.

Security for next generation telecommunication networks requires a proactive approach to stay ahead of potential threats.

Call Protection in Public Preview is a game-changer for network security. It's designed to protect your network from unwanted calls, including robocalls and spam calls.

This feature uses AI to analyze caller behavior and block suspicious calls, reducing the risk of phishing and other types of cyber attacks.

In a recent test, Call Protection in Public Preview blocked 99% of robocalls, making it a highly effective tool for network security.

With Call Protection, you can also customize your call settings to allow or block specific numbers, giving you more control over your network's security.

Azure Programmable Connectivity is making it easier for developers to access operator network APIs. This is a game-changer for network-aware applications.

Developers can now simplify access to network APIs with Azure Programmable Connectivity (APC). APC has been integrated with several top public operators worldwide to provide a simple experience for developers.

Azure APC allows developers to dynamically deploy video streaming servers where and when the demand is. This is a huge advantage for companies like Broadpeak, which can request a temporary boost of throughput when needed.

APC has also been integrated with Colony's CloudOne carrier and device-agnostic platform. This platform features a self-serve dashboard for Telcos/MSPs and Enterprises, providing automated provisioning, advanced network monitoring, and Wi-Fi management capabilities.

With APC, developers can also access Quality on Demand (QoD) network APIs from multiple operators. This is a huge advantage for companies like Halo, which can activate the QoD when needed, saving resources without compromising performance.

Here are some of the early adopter partners who have integrated APC into their solutions:

Azure for operators is a comprehensive platform that provides a range of tools and services to help telecommunications companies manage their networks and operations more efficiently.

With Azure, operators can leverage a scalable and secure infrastructure to deploy and manage their services, reducing costs and improving customer satisfaction. Azure supports a wide range of network functions, including virtual network functions (VNFs) and network functions virtualization (NFV).

Operators can use Azure to automate network provisioning, reducing the time and effort required to set up new services. This is achieved through the use of Azure's automation and orchestration capabilities.

Azure also provides a range of security features to help protect networks and services from cyber threats. This includes advanced threat protection, encryption, and secure access to cloud resources.

Operators can contact Microsoft support for help with Azure, or reach out to their account representative for more information.