It remains a challenge, but is an essential step in the telco to techco evolution
Telecom Italia (TIM) showed off its Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) capabilities at an event in Rome, TIM HiTech Tomorrow Telco. It was hosted by CEO Pietro Labriola and Chief Network Operations and Wholesale Officer, Elisabetta Romano (pictured), who is also chair of TIM’s international infrastructure arm, Sparkle.
The idea behind NaaS is to turn the network into a platform that exposes its capabilities to third parties to enable new business models for both operator and customers of all kinds. This is done via standard, open APIs which can be used developers from hyperscalers to start-ups.
Telecom Italia is participating in the GSMA’s Open Gateway initiative that aims to encourage the use of open network APIs by telcos.
A long way to go?
Commercial, scalable NaaS has many hurdles to overcome: BT’s Mark Henry recently discussed some of the challenges operators face in deploying NaaS in his presentation at Mobile Europe’s recent Telecom Europe LIVE event – watch the video or read the article.
There was also a very lively, informative panel debate about NaaS at Mobile Europe’s Telco to techco event earlier in the year, with Gaudensia Chepkonga, Senior Manager Technology Strategy and Architecture at Safaricom, Alexandre Harmand, Head of Network Platforms, Telefonica, and Claire Chauvin, Director Strategy Architecture and Standardisation, Orange It was moderated by Mark Cornall, Technical Director, GSMA. Watch the video.
At TIM’s event
Romano said, “The high-performance digital network model made possible by NaaS will support telecoms challenges in the decades ahead. Think of self-drive services, virtual reality, super-calculation, healthcare powered by big data and environmental sustainability, essential to enable the digitalisation of the country which is fundamental for future growth.
“We can do this because our network is the most extensive in the country: we won’t just provide each home, office or production plant with ultrabroadband, we will raise the value of our exchanges by enriching them with the cloud, which we will bring ever closer to our customers: a true Edge Cloud Continuum.”
The press statement pointed out that, “Synergy with Sparkle’s infrastructure will make it possible to expand this model…beyond the national borders. TIM’s network integrated with Sparkle represents a key strategic facility with its underwater cables, its hubs in Milan and Sicily and its international PoPs [points of presence].”
At the event, TIM also presented developments in edge cloud, 5G Standalone, fibre connectivity at speeds up to 50 Giga and quantum tech for cyber security.