A ground-breaking expansion of its service portfolio has been announced by Airtel Africa, a leading telecommunications service provider, in collaboration with Cisco
In a strategic partnership, businesses are intended to be empowered to seamlessly embark on their digital transformation journey, with Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) solutions offered across various service platforms.
In the fast-paced digital landscape of today, the growing need for businesses to accelerate operations without the additional task of building or managing network infrastructure is recognised by Airtel Africa. The NaaS offerings encompass an array of services such as enhanced security, surveillance, connectivity, and cloud solutions, all delivered through a secure cloud platform.
Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) represents a paradigm shift in how network infrastructure is consumed by organisations, allowing users to operate networks efficiently without the need to own, build, or maintain physical infrastructure. This innovative approach reduces the challenges associated with traditional network models, including capital expenses, manual service provisioning, and lengthy issue resolution processes.
Airtel Africa's NaaS offerings, powered by Cisco's cutting-edge Catalyst and Meraki cloud-based platforms, are promising to revolutionise connectivity for businesses of all sizes.
The solutions are designed to replace hardware-centric VPNs, load balancers, firewall appliances, and Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) connections. With the flexibility to scale up or down based on demand, rapid service deployment, and reduction of hardware costs, the future of business connectivity is being reshaped by Airtel Africa and Cisco.
"As Africa transitions digitally, businesses will require a fusion of connectivity, mobility, security, and cloud into a service offering for every business irrespective of geographical spread or operational needs," remarked Oliver Fortuin, CEO of Airtel Business Africa. "Airtel Africa NaaS also allows a managed service option, enabling Airtel Africa to fully manage the daily operational requirements of supporting such infrastructure as growth accelerates."
Access to the NaaS offerings will be granted to all business customers, including small businesses, as well as global customers with operations worldwide. Airtel Africa and Cisco Systems are committed to facilitating a smooth digital transition for businesses, providing them with the tools needed to thrive in an increasingly connected world.
“At Cisco, we believe that every organisation would benefit from simplifying powerful technology,” stated Vish Iyer, president, service provider, Asia Pacific and Japan, Cisco. “Together with Airtel Africa, we are reducing networking complexities and securely connecting the world through Network-as-a-Service. This innovative approach is a great option for businesses wanting to shift to a cloud operating model without a heavy lift. Our partnership with Airtel Africa marks a pivotal moment as we pledge to deliver the majority of our cutting-edge technology portfolio to businesses across the continent in the most simplified, flexible manner imaginable: cloud-driven, cloud-delivered, cloud-managed, offered as-a-service, and, above all, fortified with unparalleled security."
