Telecom giant adds Cisco, Ciena, Brocade to Domain 2.0 program
AT&T continues to bolster its software-defined networking and network function virtualization plans, announcing the addition of Cisco Systems, Ciena and Brocade Communications Systems to its Domain 2.0 supplier program.
The 2.0 program was unveiled late last year as an update to AT&T’s initial Domain 1.0 initiative that was rolled out in 2009. The 2.0 version was said to bring to the table more reliance on a cloud-based architecture to “reduce the time required to pivot to this target architecture while accelerating time-to-market with technologically advanced products and services.”
AT&T in February announced its first round of 2.0 partners, which included Ericsson, Tail-F Systems and Metaswitch Networks, which were selected to begin “further discussions on design and deployment,” while Affirmed Networks was picked to work on a virtualized evolved packet core. AT&T also said it would work with Ericsson on integration and transformation services, with plans to announce additional partners later this year.
AT&T further expanded its partner list in April, announcing Amdocs and Juniper Networks as vendors for its user-defined network cloud initiative, and in July when it added Alcatel-Lucent and Fujitsu Network Communications to the program.
AT&T noted that with its latest additions, it now has 10 vendors attached to the program.
“With Domain 2.0, we are seeking out agile and disruptive suppliers to help us innovate more quickly as we drive forward toward our next-generation network vision,” said Susan Johnson, SVP, AT&T Global Supply Chain.
AT&T was also quick to note that the program expansion would not impact its previously announced capital expenditure guidance, though it did say that over the next five years it expects its “next-generation network to reflect a downward bias toward capital spending. This will come from relying less on specialized hardware and deploying more open-source and reusable software.”
Speaking at an investor conference this week, AT&T CTO John Stephens said the company expects capex to drop to between 14% and 16% of service revenue, or about $18 billion in 2015, which is down from the more than $21 billion in capex expected in 2014.
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