I think the new model is going to be:TDM Trunk media gateway to
IPFXS to IPONT to IPSDWAN to Azure where logic is doneMonthly subscription for
switchingPretty much the same, but everything is over SDWAN get to the meta. So
if the CO loses Internet or experiences Internet packet loss, all voice
services will be impacted.Very dystopian, but I think that’s the future for
rural ILECsBest,Ethan Clay ---- On Tue, 13 Aug 2024 15:50:07 -0400
[email protected]<[email protected]> wrote ---- I don't think it's
getting run over by AI. Peter R called it; it's about welding everyone to Azure
and Teams.—Sent from mobile, apologies for brevity and errors.On Aug 13, 2024,
at 3:46 PM, Jeff Brower via VoiceOps <[email protected]> wrote:
"The telecommunications industry remains a priority industry for Microsoft"
that is questionable. Like other areas getting run over by AI, priorities are
shifting. Maybe they expect that if their AI gets smart enough, it can solve
telecom use cases anyway :-)
Quoting Jawaid Bazyar via VoiceOps <[email protected]>:
"Azure for Operators" is what Microsoft was calling the Metaswitch products.
This went out a couple months ago:
---
We are reaching out to customers of our Azure for Operators portfolio, which
includes products we acquired from Affirmed Networks and Metaswitch Networks,
to explain recent updates to our portfolio.
In 2020, we announced our Azure for Operators initiative. As part of this
effort, we acquired Affirmed Networks, Metaswitch Networks, and IP from AT&T to
acquire “Telco DNA” that would enhance our operational / technical engineering
skills for building a carrier grade platform. As these acquisitions came
together with Azure, we created Azure Operator Nexus – a carrier grade, hybrid
cloud platform. We are moving Azure Operator Nexus into our broader Azure Edge
and Platform portfolio and continue to service operators.
Based on customer demand, the Azure for Operators initiative also focused on
automation and analytics capabilities as early products. Given the
acceleration of Microsoft’s AI capabilities overall, we are now aligning these
early efforts with Microsoft’s broader portfolio.
As we advance our platform and AI capabilities, we are shifting our focus from
the Network Function layer to partnerships with industry leaders of these
capabilities. We will fulfill all our contractual obligations to existing
customers and we will be consistent with published end-of-life policies. We
will not expand our customer base for Microsoft’s Network Functions, including
the former Metaswitch and Affirmed Networks software products.
The telecommunications industry remains a priority industry for Microsoft. We
will continue to empower telecommunications organizations to achieve more
through a trusted and secure platform built to elevate customer experiences,
streamline enterprise operations and business support systems, accelerate
network transformation, reinvent product innovation and monetization, and build
a secure data-driven business.
We appreciate the importance our products provide in supporting your network.
We also appreciate the long-term planning that network development requires, so
we will communicate our roadmap plans at the earliest opportunity. It is
important to note that these changes do not require immediate action from you
today, nor do they change any agreement that you have in place with Microsoft.
We will continue to meet all customer contractual commitments.
If you have any questions, please contact: AFO Sales Questions
[email protected].
Thank you.
FAQ
Q: Is there any action I need to take today? When will you have more details
to share about retirement dates (Azure services) or End of Life dates
(Metaswitch Networks & Affirmed Networks products)?
A: We will continue to meet all customer contractual commitments and be
consistent with published end-of-life policies. We also appreciate the
long-term planning that network development requires, so we will communicate
our roadmap plans at the earliest opportunity.
Q: Will you still support our cloud and AI transformation?
A: Yes, Microsoft is refining the offers we provide to operators to reflect
the strong demand for cloud and AI based solutions.
Q: If you are announcing an End of Sale for the Affirmed Network and
Metaswitch Network products for new customers and net new deployments, what
does this mean for my existing service?
We will meet all existing customer contractual obligations.
We will continue to maintain the software to provide security patches and bug
fixes. We highly recommend that customers follow standard security practices
and upgrade to the latest releases.
We will provide support consistent with existing contracts.
We will continue to offer project level support / maintenance services on a
case-by-case basis (as we do today).
We will support the expansion of volumes of current deployments.
We will not expand the customer base / add new customers.
We will not expand to entirely new deployments for existing customers (e.g.,
launching for a new OpCo or OpCo not currently deployed) where the new
deployment is not already contractually committed.
We will not expand or offer new feature sets beyond those that have already
been committed.
Q: What Are you announcing for the Azure for Operators products?
A: Here is a summary of these changes:
We promoted Azure Operator Nexus to Azure’s Edge and Platform portfolio and
will continue to sell it.
We will continue to support Azure Programmable Connectivity.
We will support existing customers of Azure Operator Insights / AIOps Copilot,
but we will not accept new customers. Microsoft Fabric will address this
functionality.
We will no longer add new customers for: Azure Communication Gateway (ACG),
Azure Operator Insights (AOI), Azure Private 5G Core (AP5GC), Affirmed Mobile
Content Cloud (MCC), Affirmed UnityCloud (UC), Metaswitch Rhino TAS, and
Metaswitch Perimeta SBC. If you have a customer who is in the process of
onboarding, please contact the appropriate In-flight Projects contact:
[email protected] (APAC and EMEA) or [email protected]
(Americas).
We will not accept more preview candidates for: Azure Operator Call Protection
(AOCP) and Azure Operator 5G Core (AO5GC), and we will not move these services
to General Availability.
Q: What is next after you stop selling a product, and how will you manage
these products?
A: We will continue to support these products in accordance with our existing
customer commitments. We will eventually retire these services in accordance
with our lifecycle policies. In advance of retirement, we will provide
notification as well as details on transition recommendations. We are
committed to supporting you through this transition.
Here are the current plans for each product, but plans may evolve as we work
with customers:
Azure Communication Gateway (ACG) – We will publish a transition roadmap to
recommend options to migrate off these services to partner solutions when the
service is retired.
Azure Operator Insights (AOI) – We will work with customers to align this
service to Microsoft Fabric before the service is retired.
Azure Operator 5G Core (AO5GC) – We will not move this product from Public
Preview to GA
Azure Private 5G Core (AP5GC) – We will provide options to adopt services using
partner solutions before the service is retired.
Azure Operator Call Protection (AOCP) – We will not move this product from
Private Preview to GA. Operators may still use existing Microsoft tooling and
partner solutions to create a similar solution.
Affirmed Mobile Content Cloud (MCC) – We will meet obligations as defined above
until product End of Life.
Affirmed UnityCloud (UC) – We will meet obligations as defined above and move
to product End of Life.
Metaswitch Rhino TAS – We will meet obligations as defined above until product
End of Life.
Metaswitch Perimeta SBC – We will meet obligations as defined above until
product End of Life.
Q: Is Microsoft exiting the telecommunications industry?
A: No. Microsoft remains fully committed to supporting the telecommunications
industry by empowering them to achieve more with the power of Cloud and AI.
The changes to the Azure for Operator portfolio reflect customer demand and
enable us to focus on the technologies that drive the most value for our
customers and partners.
Q: If these changes impacted my contacts at Microsoft, who can I contact?
A: We apologize for any inconvenience personnel changes have caused you.
Please reach out to your assigned Microsoft Account Executive. For issues
requiring escalation, you may contact the following:
Questions / inquiries:
[email protected]
Industry Lead Sponsor:
[email protected]
Support Issues:
[email protected]
In-flight Projects (APAC and EMEA)
[email protected]
In-flight Projects (Americas):
[email protected]
Purchase Orders:
[email protected]
Executive Escalation:
[email protected]
On Tue, Aug 13, 2024 at 8:41 AM Mike Hammett <[email protected]> wrote:
"Given the MetaSwitch products are no longer sold, and Microsoft is EOLing
them, and not taking new support contracts..."
That's news to me.
-----
Mike Hammett
Intelligent Computing Solutions
http://www.ics-il.com
Midwest Internet Exchange
http://www.midwest-ix.com
From: "Jawaid Bazyar via VoiceOps" <[email protected]>
To: "voiceops" <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2024 7:23:05 AM
Subject: [VoiceOps] Acquire MetaSwitch
Hello,
We are in the market to acquire / take over a MetaSwitch CFS. In particular,
we're looking for the virtual edition that runs purely in VMWare.
The components we'd need are:
CFS
MRS (Media Resource Server)
Perimeta
SAS (Service Assurance Server)
MetaView Server
These are fairly common components.
Given the MetaSwitch products are no longer sold, and Microsoft is EOLing them,
and not taking new support contracts, we're not talking about a big cash up
front kind of deal, but, instead a revenue share kind of arrangement.
Anyone that has one and is interested, contact me directly off-list.
Cheers,
Jawaid
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