Since 5G networks began rolling out commercially in 2019, telecom carriers have faced a wide range of new challenges: managing high-velocity workloads, reducing infrastructure costs, and adopting AI and automation. Because data management is a key variable for overcoming these challenges, carriers are turning to hybrid cloud solutions, which provide the flexibility and scalability needed to adapt to the evolving landscape 5G enables.
The introduction of these faster, more powerful networks has triggered an explosion of data, which needs to be processed in real time to meet customer demands. Traditional data architectures struggle to handle these workloads, and without a robust, scalable hybrid data platform, the risk of falling behind is real. The pressure to manage increasing data volumes while maintaining performance and reliability makes modernization an urgent priority. Carriers must balance performance needs with the growing complexity of their data environments, especially as 5G applications continue to evolve.
Cost is also a constant concern, especially as carriers work to scale their infrastructure to support 5G networks. The challenge lies in finding a solution that enables growth while keeping infrastructure and operational expenses under control. The vast amounts of data generated by 5G networks necessitate a robust, scalable data platform, and the wrong approach can lead to spiraling costs.
As more data is processed, carriers increasingly need to adopt hybrid cloud architectures to balance different workload demands. High-velocity workloads like network data are best managed on-premises, where operators have more control and can optimize costs. Meanwhile, public cloud environments provide the flexibility and scalability needed for dynamic workloads, such as customer applications or AI-driven services.
However, the complexity of managing workloads across different environments can be daunting. Carriers need tools that enable them to monitor performance, optimize workload distribution, and ensure data governance across both on-premises and cloud environments. This is where hybrid data platforms, like Cloudera, come into play providing carriers with the flexibility to seamlessly shift workloads between environments, optimizing costs while maintaining high performance.
As with many industries, the future of telecommunications lies in AI and automation. From customer service to network management, AI-driven automation will transform the way carriers run their businesses. However, implementing AI models requires significant computing power and real-time data processing, which cannot be achieved without modern, scalable data platforms.
Telecom Carrier Vi Found Success with Cloudera
Just over six years ago, Vodafone India and Idea Cellular merged to form Vi, now one of the largest carriers in the world with over 200 million subscribers. As India continues to be a hub for innovation, Vi is embracing the challenges and opportunities of 5G, with massive data volumes and increasing demands for automation.
Vi considered various data platform options, including public and private cloud as well as open source and proprietary solutions, but in the end, Vi decided to extend and grow its relationship with Cloudera. The first two reasons are cost and scale. When you have high-volume, high-velocity data, you need a reliable, robust environment to triage, treat, and distribute the data. For Vi, as for most telecom carriers, very large, high-velocity predictable workloads – such as network data – make sense to run on-prem, before serving data applications downstream either on-prem or in public cloud environments.
Vi’s modernization journey has paid off, saving $20-$30 million in infrastructure costs and reducing support tickets by 80%. The hybrid cloud architecture also positions Vi for seamless future deployments and AI/ML workloads. By adopting hybrid cloud, streaming analytics, and data fabric, Vi is laying a strong foundation for future transformations and scaling its AI initiatives, and the potential for growth is immense.
The 5G era presents telecom carriers with both significant challenges and opportunities, each of which can be met effectively with a firm grounding in data. Telecom companies that adopt modern data architectures that are flexible, scalable, and cost-effective are better positioned to identify opportunities early, counter service degradations before they manifest themselves, and automate processes for maximum efficiency.
Hybrid data cloud platforms like Cloudera provide carriers with the ability to handle high-velocity workloads on-premises and leverage the scalability of the public cloud, enabling telecom companies to manage their data efficiently while laying the groundwork for future innovations.
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