When consumers think of communications innovation, they tend to think of apps (Uber, Netflix) or smartphone vendors (Apple, Google). Few realize how much complex technology is behind the telecommunications networks that ensure those apps and phones work as advertised. Communication service providers (CSPs), for their part, are tired of watching “digital natives” grab the glory—and a big chunk of the revenue along with it. They know they need to escape the cost and complexity of traditional network architectures and digitally transform themselves through the cloud, containers, and other innovative technologies if they want to compete as service innovators rather than simply connectivity providers.
The inflection point for this transformation realization is 5G. With its massive market potential for new revenue-generating services, 5G is motivating CSPs to shift from cautious adopters of technology to cutting-edge pioneers. The good news is that all the great things that 5G has to offer—new enterprise services that will generate increased revenue in vertical markets such as retail, financial, manufacturing and more—depend upon what CSPs do next. But CSPs also depend upon their network equipment vendors to deliver that innovation. 5G network transformation is much bigger than more RAN towers and servers. It will require new approaches to the network such as multi-access edge computing (MEC) and a cloud-native service architecture so that services be spun up anywhere in minutes, especially in enterprise environments.
CSPs are ready to embrace a more agile, flexible, and scalable network infrastructure. The new vertical services, enabled by 5G, will demand not only more speed, but will also lower latencies. Moving compute closer to the network edge is an important step in the right direction. Quickly spinning up network functions and services in the cloud is another. These solutions require technology partners that support open standards, actively develop reference architectures with other 5G vendors, and bring innovation to market faster—whether it’s the latest chipsets in the market or the most advanced cloud-native network functions (CNFs) from 3GPP vendors. And that’s what Dell Technologies is doing today.
Dell Technologies is where the industry is headed
At Dell Technologies, our vision for CSPs is to create the open, modern platform that is required to accelerate telecom innovation and revenue growth. We help them do this in three ways: transform network operations, modernize network technology, and enhance the services portfolio. For example, we’ve made significant advancements in four critical areas:
- Converged core solutions, pre-validating partner solutions that leverage cloud-native software architectures from VMware and RedHat to reduce risk and accelerate the deployment of CNFs in the network
- A services edge platform featuring scalable, flexible, and rapidly deployable servers that can be placed at the near or far edge of the network, including inhospitable environments, to power new services and create new revenues
- Open virtual RAN (vRAN) solutions that are designed to give operators flexibility, choice and control of which deployment models and vendors they want for RAN distributed units (DU), central units (CU) and other critical RAN functions
- Next Gen Operations, our offerings catapult your OSS / BSS into the future with high availability, cloud solutions and open, cloud-native technologies
In addition, Dell Technologies is the global leader in IT infrastructure, giving us the scale to meet the needs of CSPs of all sizes, all powered by a secure global supply chain, and available in a variety of consumption models.
Combining vision with momentum
The world’s leading CSPs aren’t waiting for the future to arrive. They’re creating that future today with Dell Technologies…
- CenturyLink* uses Dell PowerEdge servers to deliver private cloud services at the edge for its enterprise customers
- Verizon and BT have both partnered with Dell to offer their customers virtualized network services
- SK Telecom and Dell have found a brilliant way to monetize 5G with one of the world’s first fully integrated MEC solutions, dubbed OneBox MEC
These success stories are just the beginning. We continue to expand our technology portfolio to solve the challenges that CSPs are facing today in the market, whether it’s reducing network cost and complexity or accelerating the deployment of new revenue-generating services. With Dell Technologies on your side, the future has never looked brighter.
Visit our page to learn more about Dell Technologies’ telecom service provider solutions.
*On September 14, 2020, CenturyLink, Inc announced they have rebranded to Lumen Technologies, Inc
