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COMMS NEWS
MICROSOFT SWOOPS ON METASWITCH
MICROSOFT HAS AGREED to
acquire Metaswitch Networks
for an undisclosed sum.
Metaswitch has been an NFV
pioneer since it was founded in
1981 and has delivered
networking software stacks to
over 1,000 communications
service providers globally.
Much of the analysis around
the deal has focused on the
specialist skills Metaswitch
bring to Microsoft in an
increasingly hybrid and
multi-cloud world. Metaswitch
has been working hard on their
MAX UC product to bring deeper
integrated UC experiences to
customers which are primarily
sold through the carriers. This
product was designed to enable
carriers to compete with the OTT
players and social networks.
Service providers have been
falling over themselves to
partner with Microsoft as
Teams has emerged as a
compelling proposition for
businesses. However, up to now
the phone system features
supplied by Microsoft has been
suppliers, emerging innovators
and network equipment
partners to share roadmaps and
explore expanded opportunities
to work together, including in
the areas of radio access
networks (RAN), nextgeneration
core, virtualized
services, orchestration and
operations support system/
business support system (OSS/
BSS) modernization. A future
that is interoperable has never
been more important to ensure
the success of customers and
partners.”
John Byrne, Service Director,
Telecom Technology & Software
at GlobalData, commented,
“Microsoft has made it clear,
through a host of acquisitions
and alliances, that the longterm
goal is to solidify Azure as
the underlying platform for a
host of network and IT
functions as part of an
expansive telco cloud strategy.
The Metaswitch purchase is a
clear sign that they intend to be
a platform for telecoms
innovation for network
operators.
For the past several years,
Microsoft has embarked on a
campaign of ‘making friends
with’ both traditional and
disruptive network software
vendors through a combination
of expanding alliances and
acquiring innovators. As we go
into an increasingly public
cloud-centric world for a
multitude of network functions,
the longer-term vision is to
establish Azure as the network
supporting a growing number of
those functions.
In the medium-term, this will
impact traditional telecom
vendors as Microsoft continues
to solidify its ‘ecosystem’
approach to telco cloud, which
is reflected in its recentlyexpanded
focus on Azure Edge
Zones to help solve the edge
computing dilemma the
industry has been in neutral
about the past three years.”
June 2020 | Comms Business Magazine | 5
REFERRAL
CounterPath has released details of
its new Referral Programmes for Bria
Teams and Bria Solo subscribers. It’s as
simple as share a referral link, activate
the referral, then enjoy credits! The
programme provides both the referrer
and the referee with $10 USD credit to
their accounts.
VEEAM
Veeam Software has launched Veeam
Backup for Microsoft Azure, a cloud
backup and recovery solution. This
new offering will enable customers
and service providers to move more
applications and data to Azure, and to
cost-effectively, securely, and easily
protect cloud applications and data.
UNLIMITED
Jola follows up their launch of O2
Unlimited data SIMs, with Vodafone
Unlimited data SIMs. They are available
without speed restrictions, on 30-day
contracts. These SIMs will work on 5G,
where available.
by
noticeably lacking. With
Metaswitch, Microsoft will be
able to offer that fully
functioning suite of features
previously lacking… presumably
as standard.
Yousef Khalidi – Corporate
Vice President, Azure
Networking, announced the
deal on Microsoft’s blog.
He wrote: “The convergence
of cloud and communication
networks presents a unique
opportunity for Microsoft to
serve operators globally via
continued investment in Azure,
adding additional depth to our
hyperscale cloud infrastructure
with the specialized software
required to run virtualized
communication functions,
applications and networks.
We will continue to support
hybrid and multi-cloud models
to create a more diverse
telecom ecosystem and spur
faster innovation, an expanded
set of unique offerings and
greater opportunities for
differentiation. We will continue
to partner with existing
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