KUALA LUMPUR (March 4): VMware Inc said Vodafone has expanded its footprint of VMware's cloud infrastructure to power its network and to capture operational agility and cost efficiency at scale.

VMware is Vodafone's primary strategic partner for telco cloud infrastructure services.

In a statement today, VMware said its services are used across Vodafone's operating markets around the world. They are live in 15 countries, in more than 50 sites, carrying increasing amounts of subscriber traffic on more than 300 core network functions.

VMware said Vodafone, which operates mobile and fixed networks globally, is bringing uniformity to its operations and management with a software-defined cloud infrastructure.

It said this software-defined approach streamlines cost and increases agility for deployment and management of services.

VMware said with 5G on the horizon, Vodafone has focused on building an underlying cloud infrastructure foundation that speeds up deployment of current 4G services while introducing 5G readiness, without requiring disruptive and expensive re-platforming.

Vodafone Group chief technology officer Johan Wibergh said Vodafone continues to automate its network operations and management through a software-defined infrastructure.

"We have been pleased with the accelerated time-to-market and associated economic benefits of our transition to NFV (network functions virtualisation) and, increasingly, a telco cloud infrastructure.

"We've teamed up with VMware based not only on its technology leadership and innovation, but the ability to get operational deployments up and running within our requirements," said Wibergh.

VMware's telco cloud infrastructure provides hybrid cloud architecture, openness of APIs, OpenStack and Kubernetes compatibility, network-based micro-segmentation and service assurance.

With a certification program that is designed to help VNF (virtual network function) vendors simplify onboarding to the telco cloud platform, VMware's ecosystem of VNF partners assists in the speed of operationalizing new service deployments.

Meanwhile, VMware's Telco NFV Group executive vice president, strategy and corporate development and general manager Shekar Ayyar said VMware's expertise lies in serving up the benefits of virtualization — simplification, reliability, cost efficiency and agility — in even the most complex telco environments.

"Multi-cloud is the future of telco, and Vodafone is an innovator when it comes to leveraging the telco cloud for next-generation networks," said Ayyar.

Vodafone and VMware will be at Mobile World Congress 2019.