AT&T updates progress and challenges in move towards SDN and NFV future
AT&T is viewed by many as one of the leading telecom operators in terms of its commitment towards developing and deploying virtualized network platforms. The company has even been so bold as to put dates and percentages on its plans, stating it expects to have 75% of its network operations turned over to software-defined networking, network functions virtualization and cloud platforms by 2020.
On this week’s NFV/SDN Reality Check, we spoke with Margaret Chiosi, distinguished network architect at AT&T, during the recent CTIA Super Mobility 2015 event to get an update on the operator’s development and deployment plans as well as challenges that remain to be tackled.
Chiosi remains confident AT&T will meet its lofty deployment goals, but admitted that there was still a lot of work that needed to be done in terms of vendor interoperability and technology standards. However, being out front in the process has allowed AT&T to shape the direction on those two topics, which could give the operator a head start against competitors.
Chiosi also noted the timing of SDN and NFV deployments aligned well with current network evolution plans towards “5G” and the growing demand for connected devices.
Make sure to join us on Sept. 25 for our next live episode of NFV/SDN Reality Check when we speak with Mark Murphy, Innovation Lead at Ericsson, for a tutorial on NFV and SDN as well as an update on the company’s position in the market.
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