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Microsoft, Vodafone ink decade-long strategic agreement
The collaboration focuses on 5 key areas to enhance services in Europe and Africa.
Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella (right), with Vodafone CEO, Margherita Della Valle / (Image - Microsoft/website)
Leading telecom provider Vodafone and tech giant Microsoft have announced a new, comprehensive 10-year strategic partnership.
The collaboration is aimed at developing new digital and financial services for businesses, particularly SMEs in Europe and Africa, as well as revamping Vodafone’s global data center cloud strategy through Microsoft's generative AI.
As part of the partnership, Microsoft will employ Vodafone's fixed and mobile connectivity services and the latter will invest $1.5 billion over the next ten years in cloud and customer-focused AI services. Additionally, Microsoft plans to invest in Vodafone's managed Internet of Things (IoT) connection platform, which will be a stand-alone company by April 2024.
Key areas of collaboration will include Generative AI, Scaling IoT, African digital acceleration, enterprise growth, and cloud transformation. The telecom giant will use Microsoft Azure OpenAI and Microsoft Copilot to enhance customer experience, productivity, and digital efficiency across all touchpoints and employees.
In addition, Microsoft will invest in Vodafone's IoT-managed global platform, connecting 175 million devices globally and integrating it into the Azure ecosystem for open APIs.
Microsoft intends to scale M-Pesa, Africa's largest financial technology platform, by housing it on Azure and launching cloud-native applications. The partnership will further enhance digital literacy, skilling, and youth outreach.
Vodafone shall distribute Microsoft services to become Europe's leading business platform and support 24 million SMEs.
Lastly, Vodafone plans to modernize its data centers on Microsoft Azure, enhancing customer responsiveness and reducing operational costs. This will replace physical data centers with virtual ones across Europe, promoting sustainability.
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