Above: A model for an Azure Private MEC. Diagram courtesy Microsoft.

Around the world and across industries, 5G, Augmented/Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence (AI), IoT, and Edge computing are creating opportunities for rapid digital transformation. This is compelling operators to move away from legacy systems to accelerate network transformation, and Microsoft is empowering operators to unlock the benefits of 5G by presenting the next generation of Azure for Operators solutions and services.

With Azure for Operators, Microsoft is bringing cloud and edge closer together to modernize the operators’ networks so that they can streamline and optimize their business operations and deliver new services faster with greater reach and lower cost. Customers will benefit from a cloud platform with industry-leading security and governance built-in, and with an unmatched partner and developer ecosystem to maximize the value of cloud at the edge.

In September 2020, Microsoft unveiled the Azure for Operators initiative to help operators evolve their own networks and partners to assist enterprises to maximize Industry 4.0 opportunities. In June of 2021, Microsoft introduced a new category, Azure private multi -access edge compute (MEC), which empowers operators and system integrators to unlock the enterprise 5G opportunity. Today, Microsoft is applying technology and developer partner ecosystem capabilities to offer the next wave of Azure for Operators portfolio—carrier-grade hybrid cloud platform, voice core, mobile core, and multi-access edge compute.

Hybrid cloud platform built for the future of telecommunications

Today, Microsoft announced the next wave of hybrid cloud platform for operators —Azure Operator Distributed Services, which combines the enhanced version of the AT&T Network Cloud technology acquired in June 2021 that integrates the best of Azure—Microsoft industry-leading security, monitoring, analytics, AI, machine learning (ML), and so much more.

Built from the ground up and proven to run network-intensive workloads and mission-critical applications, Azure Operator Distributed Services meets the security, resiliency, observability, and performance needs required by operators to achieve meaningful results from digital transformation. It will enable operators to run all their workloads (e.g., core, RAN, mobile and voice core, OSS, BSS) on a single carrier-grade hybrid platform.

Azure Operator Distributed Services provides the flexibility and scalability to support customer deployments at the edge of the cloud, the edge of the network, or the enterprise edge. Now, operators can effectively create new services to monetize their network, all while gaining robust network and customer insights that are necessary to facilitate proactive decision-making, critical action, and the creation of real value.

AT&T and Microsoft are closely collaborating on deployment of Azure Operator Distributed Services with initial testing stages planned for later this year. According to Jason Zander, EVP, Strategic Missions and Tech, with Azure Operator Distributed Services, Microsoft is delivering a carrier-grade hybrid cloud service to the market and AT&T where it can run at AT&T on-premises or on Azure public cloud.

Azure Operator Distributed Services is designed to be used by all operators while maintaining security and without losing differentiation. With this product, Microsoft wants to enable operators to deliver new services faster and more flexibly across Azure public cloud and on-premises with common tooling and services, reducing time-to-market with a cloud-native approach. True to its mission of empowering everyone to achieve more, Microsoft is working with the broader partner ecosystem, including Ericsson and Nokia, to build on the next-gen hybrid cloud platform for operators.

“Combined with cloud capabilities, 5G has the potential to accelerate the digital transformation of virtually any sector of industry or society. The combination of Azure Operator Distributed Services and Ericsson’s market-leading cloud-native network functions and orchestration suite promise significant benefits for customers. Microsoft and Ericsson are jointly exploring enterprise 5G use cases in conjunction with leading operators”, said Jan Karlsson, Senior Vice President and Head of Business Area Digital Services, Ericsson

Next Generation Packet Core Services

Microsoft is also announcing the private preview of the Azure Operator 5G Core and public preview of the Azure Private 5G Core. The Azure Operator 5G Core deploys on the Azure Operator Distributed Services to meet the needs of operators seeking automated, operational efficiency in a mobile network that can scale to hundreds of millions of subscribers and devices. Azure Private 5G Core is available as part of the Azure private MEC solution, enabling operators and system integrators to provide a simple, scalable, and secure deployment of private 4G and 5G networks at the enterprise edge. Both services are deployed and managed through Azure.

• Azure Operator 5G Core: Microsoft Azure Operator 5G Core is an Azure service that enables operators to build, deploy and manage scalable mobile networks. By using Microsoft Azure Operator 5G Core, operators can seamlessly deploy network workloads on Azure and manage their networks at scale with agility and cost efficiency while keeping up with the evolving demands of 5G. Azure Operator 5G Core is built on a distributed architecture and includes cloud management, service automation, life cycle management, network slicing, and integrated analytics.

• Azure Private 5G Core: This packet core as-a-service offer allows operators and system integrators to rapidly deploy enterprise private mobile networks and low latency applications on Azure Arc-connected edge platforms, such as Azure Stack Edge.  Through Azure, partners can unify the cloud management of multiple, globally distributed private wireless networks, with the flexibility to also choose and integrate components from technology and solution partners, including a wide range of 4G and 5G Standalone RAN and SIM providers.

Delivering the value of cloud to the edge for enterprises with MEC solutions

In June of 2021, Microsoft announced a new category—the Azure private MEC, and today Microsoft extend this MEC category with the introduction of Azure public MEC solution. An evolution of Azure Edge Zones with operator, the Azure public MEC solution integrates Azure compute and services with mobile operator 5G connectivity, elevating application performance at the operator edge.

Through the Azure private and public MEC solutions, Microsoft is collaborating and co-innovating with operators and system integrators, as well as bringing the broader technology and developer ecosystem to deliver innovative solutions that meet enterprise needs at edge. Applications that run on Azure public MEC offer customers the unique ability to analyze data closer to where it is being captured from users and edge-enabled devices (e.g., industrial IoT devices, cars, and smartphones). The resulting timely, detailed insights pave the way for proactive responses to and solutions for real-world enterprise problems.

Through strategic collaborations and scale ecosystem engagements, Microsoft is working with operators, system integrators, technology partners, and solutions partners to build innovative solutions that enable the telecommunications industry transformation.

Microsoft is fully committed to enabling enterprises and developers to take full advantage of technology and achieve more with these announcements. Know more about how partners are taking full advantage of Microsoft technology by reading Jason Zander full blog here.