• New Zealand operator is working with HPE on the development of a private AI platform
• The system gives the telco a ‘sovereign, unified and flexible platform while improving security’

New Zealand telco 2degrees has turned to HPE for the development of a private AI platform that “modernises and simplifies” the operator’s IT operations and provides it with a secure, sovereign data management system. 

2degrees is the country’s third-largest telco (behind Spark and One NZ) with about 2.3 million total customers for its mobile broadband and energy services, and annual revenues of NZ$1.39bn (US$825m).

Like other telcos around the world, it wants a simple, consolidated and secure IT system that can make it more efficient, improve its corporate performance and enable it to take advantage of AI applications. 

The operator is working with HPE to develop a “purpose-built private AI platform” based on HPE Private Cloud AI, a solution that has been co-developed with AI tech giant Nvidia. 

The new platform will, according to HPE, provide the telco with a “sovereign, unified, and flexible platform that empowers 2degrees to deliver more agile and scalable solutions while improving security by storing critical customer and operational data on shore in New Zealand. The solution aims to improve the reliability, reduce downtime, and optimise network performance for 2degrees – providing an integrated, on-premise environment that combines secure data management and advanced AI-driven analytics,” noted HPE in this announcement.  

Initial AI use cases include autonomous network operations, predictive maintenance, and AI-powered capacity planning.

The development is part of the telco’s “ongoing commitment to data sovereignty, ensuring that New Zealand customer and operational data remain under New Zealand jurisdiction and governance controls at a time when organisations across the world are navigating complex data regulations across multiple jurisdictions,” noted HPE. 

Stephen Kurzeja, chief technology and information officer (CTIO) at 2degrees, noted: “Partnering with HPE allows us to innovate and grow with confidence as we continue our journey to become New Zealand’s leading telco in value, innovation and growth. Nvidia and HPE’s private AI solution gives us the capability to move faster, unlock deeper insights from our data, and build AI-driven solutions that make our network smarter, more resilient and responsive to the needs of customers across New Zealand. HPE Private Cloud AI also allows us to safely and securely embed AI across 2degrees as we accelerate real-world multi-agent AI use cases.”

The CTIO added: “We’ve already seen strong results across multiple areas. For example, local AI is a critical enabler for AI-driven network operations with multiple local AI agents moving us toward a smarter, more resilient and increasingly self-driving network that better serves customers across New Zealand.”

- Ray Le Maistre, Editorial Director, TelecomTV