Stepping up the telecom game

From virtualization to edge, cloud is becoming core to the telecom sector – helping service providers become more agile and platform independent

- ANUSHA ASHWIN

Globally telcos are facing rapid changes in business needs and quite obviously the pandemic has further compelled them to face newer changes. Telcos are looking to quickly move beyond the role of connectivity providers and become business enablers for digital transformation, by rolling out industry specific vertical solutions. Today, we see emergence of a new ecosystem where the telcos are at the center.

Thankfully, most telcos in India these days are better prepared, as most critical operations happen conveniently over the cloud and are delivered on the edge. The industry is increasingly seeing more value in adopting a cloud approach to ensure business continuity across entire operations as opposed to just specific critical services.

So, the phenomenon with cloud is magical. Be it in customer facing or network infrastructure facing solutions, cloud is indispensable in today’s times, especially with the pandemic unravelling several new business demands. Most recently, India’s successful telecom operator, Airtel validated the importance of cloud through its strategic initiative – its entry into the USD 1-billion Indian cloud communications market with Airtel IQ.

Speaking at a press conference to announce the launch, Airtel leadership team highlighted that the company intends to leverage its cloud-based omnichannel communications platform to help brands like Swiggy, Justdial, Urban Company, Havells, Dr. Lal Path Labs and Rapido to deepen engagement with customers through timely and secure communication solutions. The omnipresent nature of cloud, here, seemed valuable and the telco seems focussed on harnessing its potential fully.