Developed in collaboration with Reply, Access 4.0 – aka A4 – provides more flexibility and a shortened time-to-market through a faster roll-out of services such as broadband internet and 5G to customers.
By disaggregating and virtualising network access based on cloud-native architectures and open-source code, Deutsche Telekom and Reply said the A4 platform is cost-efficient, easy-to-operate and scalable.
Walter Goldenits (pictured), CTO of Telekom Deutschland, said: "Deutsche Telekom is reaching an important milestone in its transformation into a software-based telecommunications provider," adding, "We are thus consistently shaping the path taken by the industry toward solutions based on open and disaggregated components in the fixed network area as well."
A joint press statement said the Access 4.0 platform takes over many classic operations support systems functions thanks to software-defined networking. With this concept, automation is driven forward, even lean processes can be implemented easily. Disaggregation allows to independently select the best hardware and software for any tasks, it is more flexible and open than traditional systems.
Development partner Reply also supported DT in developing a global productisation strategy for the platform, which involved working closely with other carriers to understand their respective needs as well as engaging strongly within the open source community.
Reply CTO Filippo Rizzante, said: "The telecommunications industry is currently undergoing fundamental change. The separation of hardware and software is the key to more scalability, flexibility and cost efficiency in the control, management and operation of networks. We are pleased to share this vision using a combination of innovative microservices with agile and devops culture, together with Deutsche Telekom."
