With cloud and AI, IBM broadens 5G deals with Verizon and Telefonica
By Clara-Laeila Laudette and Supantha Mukherjee
BARCELONA (Reuters) - IBM will offer
telecom operators Verizon and Telefonica new
services ranging from running 5G over a cloud
platform to using artificial intelligence, the U.S. technology company said on
Monday.
Big technology players such as Microsoft and Amazon are vying for
a share of 5G revenue
by offering telecom operators next-generation software tools.
IBM, using technology it obtained from buying software firm Red
Hat, will offer the telecom operators cloud services to run
their networks and assist them in selling products tailored to customers. No
financial terms were disclosed about the tie-ups, which broadened IBM's
existing partnerships with the two firms.
A cloud platform uses software instead of physical equipment to
perform network functions, helping telecom operators build 5G networks faster,
reduce costs and sell customised services.
"It's a disruptive time in this particular market segment,
telcos are trying to position themselves as the destination for services like
augmented reality, machine learning and AI," Darell Jordan-Smith, vice
president of Redhat, told Reuters.
On the AI front, IBM and Spain's Telefonica have
created a virtual assistant that they say will remove friction points, such as
long wait times, by automating the handling of frequently asked questions and
tasks like billing.
"We see this as an existential moment for telco operators
with 5G: architecturally, they're looking to gain more control on their
platforms and rethink their network as a digital world rather than a structured
physical model," said Steve Canepa, IBM's general manager for
communications business.
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