With cloud and artificial intelligence, IBM expands 5G deals with Verizon and Telefonica Reuters

Authors: Clara-Laeila Laudette and Supantha Mukherjee

Barcelona (Reuters)- IBM The American technology company said on Monday that (NYSE:) will provide telecom operators Verizon (NYSE:) and Telefonica (NYSE:) with new services ranging from running 5G on cloud platforms to using artificial intelligence.

Large technology companies such as Microsoft (NASDAQ:) and Amazon (NASDAQ:) are competing for 5G revenue share by providing next-generation software tools to telecom operators.

IBM will use the technology acquired from the acquired software company Red Hat to provide cloud services for telecom operators to run their networks and help them sell products tailored to customers. The financial terms of the cooperation were not disclosed, which expanded the existing partnership between IBM and the two companies.

The cloud platform uses software to replace physical devices to perform network functions, helping telecom operators to build 5G networks faster, reduce costs, and sell customized services.

Darell Jordan-Smith, vice president of Redhat, told Reuters: “This is a disruptive period for this particular market segment, and telecommunications companies are trying to position themselves as destinations for services such as augmented reality, machine learning and artificial intelligence.”

In terms of artificial intelligence, IBM and Spain’s Telefonica have created a virtual assistant, which they say will eliminate friction points, such as long waiting times, by automating tasks such as common problems and billing.

IBM general manager Steve Canepa (Steve Canepa) said: “We believe that for telecom operators with 5G, this is a moment of survival: in terms of architecture, they want to gain more control over the platform. , And revisit its network as a digital world instead of a structured physical model for communication services.