Talking with Gareth Price, Practice Head Core Cloud & Security Consulting at Ericsson

In this blog post, we’ll continue to explore the valuable insights shared by Gareth Price, the practice head of core cloud and security consulting at Ericsson. Gareth provides a deep dive into the progress and challenges of Telco Cloud transformation, as well as the strategic objectives, architectural strategies, and deployment components.

Progress of Telco Cloud Program

Gareth shares that most operators who participated in the survey had been on the Telco Cloud transformation journey for about 3 to 4 years. At this stage, they had successfully implemented Telco Cloud and had a few network functions running on the cloud. This indicates that Telco Cloud has come of age and is contributing significantly to the network.

Strategic Objectives of Cloud Transformation

The initial phase of Telco Cloud transformation focused on creating agility, scalability, and reducing costs in the network. However, as the transformation progresses, the focus has shifted towards service agility and creating more value for end-users through personalized and customized services. Gareth predicts that the next phase will revolve around on-demand, customer-defined networks.

Regional Differences in Cloud Transformation

Gareth highlights that regional differences in cloud transformation are influenced by business models and regulations. In regions like America and East Asia, large operators have the autonomy to forge their own path in cloud transformation. In contrast, European operators are inclined towards reducing costs by consolidating multiple networks into a single operating model. The challenge lies in regulatory compliance and data privacy laws, such as GDPR, which impact the feasibility of group clouds.

Key Findings from the Cloud Survey

• Most operators are at a stage where Telco Cloud is live and running network functions.
• The primary drivers of cloud transformation have shifted from cost-saving to service agility and business agility.
• There is a growing interest in hybrid cloud models, with operators considering public cloud for burst and expansion of private cloud.
• The next phase of cloud transformation will focus on leveraging 5G networks to push processing to the edge for low latency and scalable network operations.
• Separate cloud programs for network and IT departments have shown faster progress compared to joint programs.

Challenges and Future Trends in Cloud Transformation

• The survey revealed that 45% of respondents expressed that if they were to start again, they would have chosen a different cloud strategy, indicating the need for more careful consideration in the initial stages of cloud transformation.
• The maturity of technology and the market will be crucial in picking the right time for a best-of-breed solution in cloud transformation.
• Organizational silos and legacy processes were identified as significant challenges in cloud transformation, highlighting the need for a cultural and behavioral shift in the organization.

In conclusion, the insights shared by Gareth Price shed light on the evolving landscape of Telco Cloud transformation. As the industry progresses, the focus has shifted towards service agility, personalized offerings, and leveraging 5G networks for edge processing. Regional differences and regulatory challenges continue to influence the pace and approach of cloud transformation in the telco industry. The future trends in cloud transformation will be shaped by the maturity of technology, organizational readiness, and the ability to overcome legacy processes and organizational silos.

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