Juniper Networks, a specialist in automated, scalable and secure networks, has been chosen by British Telecommunications (BT) to deliver its network cloud infrastructure initiative.
This deployment will pave the way for BT’s Network Cloud roll-out – and also enable a more flexible, virtualised network infrastructure that can deliver the technology requirements of various lines of business for BT from a single platform.
BT will also use this platform to create new and exciting converged services bringing mobile, Wi-Fi, and fixed network services together. Furthermore, with the implementation of the Network Cloud infrastructure, BT will be able to combine a range of currently discrete network functions and deploy them on a cloud infrastructure that is built to a common framework and shared across the organisation, throughout the UK and globally.
These include services across BT’s voice, mobile core and radio/access, global services, ISP, TV and IT services, as well as a host of internal applications, thereby cutting operational expenditure and significantly simplifying operations throughout the organisation.
This project will enable BT to implement a range of new applications and workloads and evolve the majority of its current ones, including:
- Converged fixed and mobile services rollout to consumers and businesses.
- Faster time-to-market for network services ranging from internet access delivery to TV and business network functions
- Improved voice and video delivery and scalability.
To accomplish the evolution toward a more agile, virtualised network, BT is investing in a range of Juniper solutions across various tenants within the BT network, such as:
- Dynamic, end-to-end networking policy and control for telco cloud workloads using Contrail Networking
- Cloud operations management using AppFormix
- Highly scalable and flexible spine and leaf underlay fabric using the QFX Series
According to Neil McRae, BT’s chief architect, “BT is a global leader in ultrafast services, with growing demand from our ultrafast broadband services and ultrafast 5G services and has the perfect opportunity to combine several discrete networks into a unified, automated infrastructure. This move to a single cloud-driven network infrastructure will enable BT to offer a wider range of services, faster and more efficiently to customers in the UK and around the world.”
“We chose Juniper to be our trusted partner to underpin this Network Cloud infrastructure based on the ability to deliver a proven solution immediately, so we can hit the ground running. Being able to integrate seamlessly with other partners and solutions and aligning with our roadmap to an automated and programmable network is also important.”
Commenting on the news, Bikash Koley, chief technology officer at Juniper Networks, says, “As a renowned global service provider, BT is a shining example of how to evolve networks to become more agile. By leveraging the ‘beach-front property’ it has in central offices around the globe, BT can optimise the business value that 5G’s bandwidth and connectivity brings. The move to an integrated telco cloud platform brings always-on reliability, along with enhanced automation capabilities, to help improve business continuity and increase time-to-market while doing so in a cost-effective manner.”
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