The cloud isn't just a technological trend; it's a driving force that's redefining the telecommunications industry. For operators, the shift to the cloud is about more than just reducing costs or improving operational efficiency. It's a strategic imperative to stay competitive, innovate, and meet the demands of a constantly changing market.This document discusses the challenges of cloud development in the telecommunications sector and proposes a roadmap for a successful transition.
Forces Driving the Cloud Transformation
Several key factors are pushing operators to adopt the cloud:
1. The Data Explosion and Demand for Services
The era of 5G, IoT, and artificiel intelligence is generating vast quantities of data. traditional, rigid, and monolithic infrastructures struggle to manage this volume and complexity. The cloud, with its flexibility and scalability, offers the capacity to process, store,and analyze this data in real-time, enabling the deployment of new, high-value-added services. Orange, for example, migrated a portion of its data platforms to the cloud to better analyze network traffic in r eal-time, develop predictive traffic models, and optimize service quality.
2. Agility and Accelerated Innovation
The development cycle for telecom services is traditionally long and expensive. Migrating to the cloud, by leveraging DevOps and microservices principles, allows operators to test, deploy, and iterate more quickly. This agility is essential to meet changing customer needs and compete with "over-the-top" (OTT) players who have gained an advantage through their speed of innovation. Vodafone, for instance, used a "cloud-native" approach to develop new B2B service offerings, reducing their time-to-market from several months to a few weeks. Cloud platforms can also offer advanced tools and services, including AI, making it easier to integrate them into projects.
3. Cost Reduction and Resource Optimization
Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) and application containerization enable more efficient use of hardware resources. Cloud's pay-as-you-go models eliminate massive initial investments, transforming capital expenditures (CapEx) into operational expenditures (OpEx). This financial flexibility is a major asset for operators looking to optimize their budgets. A clear example is AT&T, which implemented a large-scale network virtualization plan, allowing for substantial savings and more dynamic resource allocation to meet demand.
Challenges of Cloud Implementation
Despite the clear benefits, the transition to the cloud is complex and presents significant challenges:
1. Data Security and Confidentiality
Migrating critical infrastructures to the cloud raises questions of security and regulatory compliance. Operators must ensure their customers' data is protected from cyberattacks and that data sovereignty requirements are respected. Deutsche Telekom, through its subsidiary T-Systems, has developed sovereign cloud solutions for European businesses and governments, ensuring that data remains within the country and complies with strict local regulations like GDPR.
2. Managing Heterogeneity and Complexity
L’adoption du cloud implique un écosystème hybride combinant infrastructures sur site et multiples environnements cloud (public, privé, hybride). Gérer cette complexité, intégrer les systèmes existants et migrer les applications sans interruption de service sont des défis majeurs. Orange a réussi à naviguer dans cette complexité en développant une plateforme de gestion unifiée pour ses environnements cloud hybrides, facilitant le déploiement transparent des services sur différentes infrastructures.
3. Skills and Change Management
Cloud transformation requires new technical and organizational skills. Teams must master concepts such as cloud-native, DevOps, automation, and cybersecurity. A change in company culture is also necessary.
BT's "Skills for the Future" initiative is an excellent example, offering intensive training programs to retrain employees in new cloud and AI technologies, ensuring a smooth transition.
Case Study: Orange's Telco Network Cloud Transformation
Orange's cloud transformation isn't limited to hosting IT services for its customers. It extends to modernizing its core business: its network. The operator is engaged in a Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) process to migrate from physical hardware to software deployed on cloud infrastructures.
This approach allows network functions to be decoupled from the underlying hardware. Instead of relying on proprietary switches or servers, Orange can now run them on a standardized, more flexible, and cost-effective cloud infrastructure.
Examples of Cloud Initiatives at Orange
Orange use the cloud to modernize its infrastructures, innovate, and meet market challenges:
1. Network Transformation:
Orange is migrating its network functions to virtualized and cloudnative infrastructures.
- Partnership with Red Hat: Orange partnered with Red Hat to modernize its international network functions (SD-WAN, voice, IoT, mobile core network) to an architecture based on Red Hat OpenShift, increasing its flexibility and agility.
- Core Network as a Service: Orange Wholesale offers a CNaaS solution for operators who want to optimize mobile core network costs.
- Hybrid Cloud Architecture for RAN: In collaboration with AWS and Nokia, Orange developed a hybrid approach (local resources and public cloud) to optimize the deployment of its 5G RAN.
2. Secure and Sovereign Cloud Services:
Orange is positioning itself as a trusted cloud service provider, focusing on data sovereignty and security.
- SecNumCloud Certification: Orange's Cloud Avenue platform obtained the SecNumCloud certification from ANSSI. This high-level European qualification allows Orange to target companies and government entities that handle sensitive data.
3. Development of B2B Ser vices:
For Orange, the cloud is a lever for creating new, high-value-added services.
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Partnership with AWS: In Africa and the Middle East, Orange partnered with AWS to offer cutting-edge technologies to its enterprise customers.
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Generative AI Development: Orange Business offers turnkey generative AI solutions via its Cloud Avenue platform.
Concrete Benefits:
- Flexibility and Deployment Speed: Orange can adapt its network capacity in real-time based on demand without having to install new hardware. Deploying new services or updates takes a few clicks instead of months of physical intervention.
- Cost Reduction: The pooling of resources on a shared cloud infrastructure and the use of generic servers reduces the costs of purchasing specialized hardware and energy expenditures.
- Innovation: By relying on an open ecosystem and a cloud native architecture, Orange can more easily integrate technological innovations and solutions from different vendors,such as Edge Computing or AI services.
The Pillars of a Successful Cloud Strategy
To overcome these challenges, a structured approach is essential. At Sofrecom, we have identified five pillars for an effective cloud strategy:
1. A secure, hybrid architecture
The best approach is to adopt a hybrid cloud architecture, which allows for keeping sensitive data and critical functions on-premises while using hyperscaler services for nonstrategic applications and innovation.
Security must be integrated at every level. Verizon adopted this approach for its 5G Networks, using a private cloud for the core network and public clouds for edge applications, ensuring both performance and security
2. Modernization of Applications and Networks
Se contenter de "Simply "lifting and shifting" existing applications to the cloud isn't enough. It's crucial to modernize application architecture using microservices and containers. Similarly, network virtualization and automation (SDWAN, SDN) are essential to fully leverage the benefits of the cloud.
Rakuten Mobile's Cloud RAN initiative in Japan is a textbook example. By building its mobile network from scratch on an entirely virtualized and cloud-native architecture, Rakuten was able to significantly reduce costs and operational complexity.
3. Acceleration through AI and Automation
Integrating artificial intelligence and automation into operations (AIOps) allows for proactive supervision, management, and optimization of cloud infrastructures. This reduces human error, improves network resilience, and frees up teams for higher-value tasks.
Singtel in Singapore implemented AIOps solutions to automate network monitoring and predict outages, thus improving service quality for its subscribers.
4. Sustainability and Eco-Responsibility
Energy optimization is at the heart of the cloud transition. Operators can not only reduce their carbon footprint by migrating their infrastructures to more efficient hyperscale cloud data centers but also by adopting Green Ops practices. This includes using newer, more energy-efficient servers, putting unused resources into standby mode (autoscaling), and optimizing algorithms to reduce computing load.
For example, Telia in Sweden has partnered with cloud providers who commit to using 100% renewable energy while optimizing the use of its own infrastructures to minimize its environmental impact. The cloud thus becomes a lever for achieving sustainable development goals.
5. Skill Development and Cultural Transformation
Investing in employee training is essential. Beyond technical skills, it is crucial to promote a culture of agility, experimentation, and continuous learning. The success of the cloudrelies as much on people as it does on technology. Telstra in Australia launched massive reskilling programs and partnerships with online learning platforms to ensure its teams are ready for the challenges of the cloud.
Conclusion: The Future of Telecoms Is in the Cloud
Cloud adoption isn't a simple technological evolution; it's a strategic revolution that will redefine the telecommunications landscape for decades to come. By adopting a progressive, secure, and innovation focused approach, operators can not only optimize their operations but also position themselves as key players in the digital economy.
Sofrecom is your partner to guide you through this transformation, helping you navigate the complexities of the cloud and build the telecommunications infrastructure of tomorrow. We are ready to discuss these challenges with you and explore how Sofrecom can help you bring your cloud vision to life.
