NTT forms alliance with Microsoft to enable new digital solutions that help enterprise customers accelerate their digital transformations

NTT and Microsoft announced on Tuesday a multi-year strategic alliance aimed at delivering secure and reliable solutions that help enterprise customers accelerate their digital transformations. The alliance will bring together NTT’s ICT infrastructure, managed services and cybersecurity expertise, with Microsoft’s trusted cloud platform and AI technologies. 

Key initiatives of the alliance include the creation of a Global Digital Fabric, development of digital enterprise solutions built on Microsoft Azure, and co-innovation of next-generation technologies in the area of all-photonics network and digital twin computing.

As one of the world’s largest global technology and business solution organizations, NTT provides integrated services that include digital business consulting and managed services for cybersecurity, applications, cloud, data centers and global networks in over 190 countries and regions. 

As part of the alliance, NTT has chosen Microsoft Azure as its preferred cloud platform for modernizing its global IT infrastructure and customer solutions in the areas of advanced analytics for cybersecurity threat intelligence and the hybrid-IT management platform.

The alliance has announced formation of a Global Digital Fabric that weaves Microsoft Cloud and NTT’s globally connected ICT infrastructure, by combining the strengths of the two companies in the areas of productivity solutions, public cloud, global datacenter and network infrastructure. The Global Digital Fabric aims to create a highly sustainable, secure and robust environment for enterprises to accelerate their digital ambitions around the world.

The alliance also covers the development of digital solutions built on Microsoft Azure to empower enterprises to accelerate their digital transformation and to operate more securely from the enterprise to the edge to the cloud. Key initiatives include advanced analytics for cybersecurity threat intelligence, social robotics with relational AI for digital companions, digital workplace solutions, as well as knowledge discovery and management.

The alliance will also explore research and development of all-photonics network and digital twin computing as part of NTT’s Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) concept. The goal is to provide a more natural interaction between people, nature and technology, and to support sustainable growth with an optical-based networking and information processing platform of the future.

Furthermore, NTT and Microsoft are committed to harnessing the power of technology for a more sustainable future. The companies intend to work together to invest in innovative projects that leverage technology to build on NTT’s sustainability initiatives and Microsoft’s AI for Earth grants.

“NTT is committed to helping enterprises realize their digital transformation initiatives to help create a smarter world. We believe that the combination of the Microsoft Azure platform along with NTT’s connected infrastructure and service delivery capabilities will accelerate these efforts,” said Jun Sawada, president and CEO of NTT. “Additionally, the companies will collaborate on IOWN, including areas such as all-photonics network and digital twin computing.”

“Our strategic alliance combines NTT’s global infrastructure and services expertise with the power of Azure,” said Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft. “Together, we will build new solutions spanning AI, cybersecurity and hybrid cloud, as we work to help enterprise customers everywhere accelerate their digital transformation.”

Ryanair chooses Vodafone Business to bring about digital transformation in its connected infrastructure

Ryanair has chosen Vodafone Business as its technology communications partner in Europe in a seven-year agreement that builds on an existing relationship and focuses on the experience of Ryanair’s customers in reaching their destinations on time. 

The outcome-driven agreement provides services that touch every point of the Ryanair passenger journey, driving continuous innovation to deliver digital transformation, business growth and operational efficiencies. 

Under the agreement, Vodafone Business will transform Ryanair’s information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure using every part of Vodafone Business’ solutions - including cloud, unified communications, software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN), Internet of Things (IoT) and security services.

SD-WAN allows businesses to connect over Public, Private networks and the Cloud; and intelligently orchestrates that connectivity over the best available transport mechanism in the network, whether through multiprotocol label switching (MPLS), internet, mobile or a combination of all three – enabling the ten-day turnaround for site connection.

Once set up, SD- WAN allows customers to view and control their network traffic so they can adjust resources and route connectivity to different parts of their organisation on demand. It also provides businesses with inbuilt analytics to help the network respond faster to needs and anticipate demand.

Vodafone Business will support 300 Ryanair sites and some 153 million passengers across 40 countries, meaning that up to 95 percent of Ryanair’s telecoms will be managed directly by Vodafone Business. This includes the hosting of its core infrastructure that maintains Ryanair’s core business processes from online booking, passenger boarding and in-flight transactions, to training centres, offices and data centers.

Airlines, like any other business, are under pressure to respond to fast-changing customer demands and putting the right technology in place today allows any organisation to be future ready. Vodafone Business Connected Airport allows Ryanair to connect a new airport or site in just 10 days, giving them the ability to adapt quickly and provide new options for their customers. 

Having the right technology in place also supports the fast turnaround of planes, which is an important factor in an airline’s profitability. Ryanair currently has 20,000 global IoT connections with Vodafone Business used by their aircrew to connect their tablets and handheld devices.

“We’re delighted to build on our existing relationship with Ryanair, continuing as their trusted technology partner in helping them to grow their business,” said Vinod Kumar, CEO, Vodafone Business. “Airline passengers will demand even more in the coming years, and we will work alongside Ryanair to help them prepare for the future using our full portfolio of products and services.”

“Over the last 30 years, Ryanair has revolutionised and democratised air travel for European citizens, growing to become Europe’s largest airline with the widest route network, connecting more than 20 destinations in 40 countries on the lowest fares,” said John Hurley, chief technology officer, Ryanair.