Enterprises are witnessing an expanding cloud ecosystem, which is beginning to include telecoms and networking providers looking to support API services, container integration/consulting, and AI network integrations, according to GlobalData research.
Telecommunications and networking providers are making their way up the cloud stack through infrastructure modernization efforts, cloud platform partnerships, and new API programs.
They have set their sights on new digitalization opportunities including providing customers and partners with API services; implementation of Kubernetes container orchestration; GenAI integrations and consulting; and support for additional emerging DevOps solutions, including modern visibility/observability.
Charlotte Dunlap, research director: Enterprise Technology and Services at GlobalData, comments: “Telcos and network providers are keen to establish a more prominent position in the cloud ecosystem of technology and service providers.
“These global heavyweights are being tasked with extending traditional networks through capabilities that support new AI economies required in modern application integrations and intelligent workflow automations, all while catering to new audiences that lack in networking skills.”
Newer API programs released over the past year have struggled to attract a broad enterprise developer community that is not familiar with network integrations; however, a number of initiatives are underway in an effort to rectify those types of complexities.
Dunlap adds: “Going forward, telcos will work to take their digital transformation services a step further by partnering with cloud and platform providers to support their core base of customers’ Kubernetes container orchestration rollouts.
“They recognize the opportunity to move into the DevOps space, realizing not only customers’ lack of internal expertise in emerging technologies such as intelligent automation, security, AIOps, and observability, but also their inability to fathom exactly where to begin on newer technologies such as GenAI.”
Dunlap concludes: “GenAI represents a key example of low-hanging fruit on which to launch platform services; therefore, copilots and agentic AI will dominate investment and product roadmap priorities for telco/networking players.
“More than ever, it’s become clear the changing ecosystem for enterprise business transformations has significantly broadened and is now represented by telcos, networking companies, SPs/CSPs, GSIs, and of course cloud providers.”