Telus has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Samsung to drastically improve global roaming speeds and reliability in an innovative leap forward for international mobile connectivity. This collaboration is set to redefine the roaming experience for Telus customers by employing a cutting-edge approach known as network cloudification. Through this initiative, Telus aims to eliminate the common issue of reduced roaming speeds caused by the traditional requirement of routing traffic through the service provider's home country.
The essence of this transformation lies in Telus' strategic move to virtualize its roaming gateways within AWS regions across the globe. This means that instead of routing mobile traffic back to Canada, it will be directed to the closest AWS region hosting Telus’ network infrastructure. This direct routing is expected to significantly enhance the speed and efficiency of mobile services for Telus customers while abroad, ensuring a seamless connectivity experience that mirrors their home network's performance.
Chivas Nambiar, General Manager of the Telco Business Unit at AWS, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, highlighting the role of cloud technology in augmenting Telus' network capabilities. This collaboration promises to leverage AWS's global infrastructure to deliver consistent, high-quality mobile services worldwide.
Central to this initiative is the deployment of Samsung's cloud-native Core technology for mobile data and the utilization of ng-voice, a Germany-based technology for voice calls. Samsung's technology is celebrated for its flexibility, scalability, and promise to elevate network performance to unprecedented levels. Stephen Wiktorski, Vice President and Head of Networks at Samsung Canada, emphasized the significance of this technology in ensuring stable, reliable, and enhanced customer experiences during international travel.
Beyond the immediate benefits of roaming services, Telus sees this partnership as a building block toward achieving more extensive technological progress. The integration of Samsung's complete Cloud-native Core solution on AWS is expected to open new avenues in disaster recovery and developing 5G standalone core use cases, marking significant progress in the telecom industry's evolution.
This partnership between Telus and another organization is a testament to the tremendous power of collaboration in driving technological innovation and improving global connectivity. As Telus gears up to commence virtual roaming gateway trials in the first quarter of 2024, it is clear that working together can bring about significant technological advancements. By leveraging the strengths of AWS's cloud infrastructure and Samsung's advanced network solutions, Telus is poised to deliver a roaming experience that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of its international travellers, setting a new benchmark for mobile network performance and reliability.