AT&T has added three heavyweights to its roster of Domain 2.0 suppliers. Brocade Communications Systems (NASDAQ: BRCD), Ciena (NYSE: CIEN), and Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) join eight other companies in the quest to help AT&T reshape its network for a cloud-centric environment via the use of software-defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV).
The Tier 1 operator unveiled its "User-Defined Network Cloud" vision this past February. The application of SDN and NFV to AT&T's global network has five goals:
- Drive improved time-to-revenue
- Provide cost-performance leadership
- Enable new growth services and apps
- Ensure world-class, industry-leading security, performance, and reliability
- Facilitate new business and revenue models.
The Domain 2.0 program gathers technology developers to help with this effort "With Domain 2.0, we are seeking out agile and disruptive suppliers to help us innovate more quickly as we drive forward towards our next-generation network vision," said Susan Johnson, senior vice president, AT&T Global Supply Chain.
In addition to the three newly announced companies, Domain 2.0 members include Affirmed Networks, Inc., Alcatel-Lucent, Amdocs Ltd., Ericsson, Fujitsu Network Communications Inc., Metaswitch Networks Ltd., Juniper Networks, Inc., and Tail-F Systems AB (subsequently purchased by Cisco). AT&T has not discussed publicly exactly what each company is expected to do within the program.
"The architecture and deployment teams are finalizing their planned introduction of this new architecture, which we expect to roll out later this year and early 2015," said Tim Harden, president, AT&T Supply Chain, this past July.
For more information on high-speed transmission systems and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer's Guide.