• HPE completes $14bn acquisition of Juniper Networks 
• Arista buys Broadcom’s SD-WAN unit VeloCloud
• New Zealand’s 2degrees gives Totogi high praise

In today’s industry news roundup: Only days after getting the green light from the US authorities, HPE has swallowed Juniper Networks; Arista has added VeloCloud to its portfolio as it seeks to meet the needs of data-driven enterprises; upstart BSS player Totogi is gaining plaudits from customers; and much more!

Only days after Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) struck a conditional agreement with the US Department of Justice (DoJ) that cleared the way for the vendor’s $14bn acquisition of Juniper Networks, the deal has been completed. HPE says the move doubles the size of its networking business, in particular adding Juniper’s well-regarded router portfolio, and “accelerates the company’s portfolio mix shift to higher-margin, higher-growth areas”. HPE said the combined company will bring together “the global strength of HPE in enterprise security-first networking and SASE security with Juniper’s position in datacentre, service provider, and AI-native solutions.” HPE’s president and CEO Antonio Neri stated: “Today begins a new era for HPE – we are now at the epicentre of the transformation of IT, where AI and networking are converging. In addition to positioning HPE to offer our customers a modern network architecture alternative and an even more differentiated and complete portfolio across hybrid cloud, AI and networking, this combination accelerates our profitable growth strategy as we deepen our customer relevance and expand our total addressable market into attractive adjacent areas. We look forward to welcoming the Juniper team to HPE.” Rami Rahim, the former CEO of Juniper Networks who will now lead the combined HPE networking business, added: “HPE and Juniper have a unique opportunity to disrupt the networking industry at the most important and relevant time. Together, we’ll be able to provide customers and partners with a secure network that is purpose-built with AI and for AI.” The completion of the deal, which for months looked like it might be scuppered by the DoJ’s legal challenge, comes as both HPE and Juniper Networks were ramping up their respective businesses. In early June, HPE reported a 6% year-on-year increase in fiscal second-quarter revenues to $7.6bn, while in May Juniper Networks reported an 11% year-on-year increase in first-quarter revenues to $1.28bn.  

Datacentre networking specialist Arista Networks has acquired SD-WAN vendor VeloCloud from Broadcom for an undisclosed price, though the sum is believed to be “well under $1bn”, according to a previous report from The Information as cited by research firm Dell’Oro Group in this blog about the deal. Arista says the catalyst for the move is the growing need among enterprises for secure and simple network connectivity between various data locations as they embrace AI tools. “As organisations seek real-world business value from generative and agentic AI, they are adopting centres of data strategy that connect the algorithms/models to key, distributed data stores across the enterprise – from the datacentres to the campus, and to the branches and remote offices. Reliable networks that are always on, easy to operate, and with built-in security are, therefore, more important than ever,” stated Arista. It added: “VeloCloud offers leading cloud-delivered SD-WAN solutions with integrated security, complementing Arista’s wired and wireless switching portfolio. VeloCloud solutions comprise a range of edge hardware platforms, featuring integrated secure firewalling and application-optimised SD-WAN, available with a choice of integrated Wi-Fi and/or 5G mobile connectivity. This portfolio of solutions provides expanded choice and performance for Arista customers, enabling global WAN services to interconnect datacentres and distributed campus offices, while complementing Arista’s existing CloudEOS routing stack and high-end 7000-series WAN routers.” The deal will likely be welcomed by VeloCloud users: The Dell’Oro blog notes that, under Broadcom’s ownership, “layoffs, partner resets and price hikes diminished momentum and confidence”. Broadcom inherited VeloCloud when it acquired VMware in late 2023 for $61bn, as VMware had acquired VeloCloud in late 2017 for $449m. So now VeloCloud is in a better and more suitable place, it seems. “VeloCloud’s core technology remains well regarded, and demand for high-performance SD-WAN remains intact,” even though “the platform languished under Broadcom’s cost-driven stewardship.” For the Dell’Oro team, though, “the bigger story is Arista’s gain: A culturally aligned, engineering-driven home that can reignite VeloCloud innovation, restore channel confidence and extend Arista’s influence from the datacentre spine to the branch edge. If Arista executes on integration and closes its marketing and enablement gap, the acquisition could transform a challenged asset into the catalyst for Arista’s next phase of growth and position the company for a broader SASE [secure access service edge] play.” The news comes only days after SASE sector rival Cato Networks raised $359m in its Series G funding round.

Totogi, the upstart AI-focused, cloud-native BSS vendor led by TelcoDR’s Danielle Rios, is gaining market traction and, it seems, delivering on its promises. New Zealand operator 2degrees deployed Totogi’s Charging-as-a-Service system a year ago to support its wholesale mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) operations and is happy with the outcome. “With Totogi, 2degrees eliminated the technical friction that slows wholesale growth,” stated Totogi in this announcement. “Since onboarding its first MVNO in August 2024, over 300 new features, optimisations and enhancements have been deployed – without service disruptions or costly IT projects,” it added. And it’s not just a case of Totogi giving itself a pat on the back. “Totogi’s SaaS-based charging platform has transformed how we operate our wholesale business,” said Chris Bradley, head of digital architecture at 2degrees. “Wholesale success is about partnerships, agility and demonstrating quick time to value and, with Totogi, we continue to challenge the status quo, scaling and growing our wholesale business,” he added. In June, Totogi boasted of multiple engagements with telcos seeking next-generation BSS capabilities that can enhance their existing capabilities. Rios noted then that Totogi is “delivering significant results inside telcos with massive legacy estates, without a single vendor swap or forklift upgrade. You keep what works. The AI agents sit across your systems, understand your telco’s business model, and start solving problems immediately”.  

A US judge has ruled that Huawei should face criminal charges related to the alleged theft of technology secrets from US rivals and breaking trade sanctions by dealing with Iran via a third-party company, Reuters has reported. A trial is scheduled to start on 4 May 2026. 

US President Donald Trump has blamed AT&T for the poor quality of a large conference call session he was hosting, reports Reuters. The criticism of the telco, which says its service was not to blame for the quality of the conference call session, comes only a few weeks after Trump Mobile, a company run by the president’s sons (Donald Jr and Eric) announced the launch of T1 Mobile, a “transformational, new cellular service designed to deliver top-tier connectivity, unbeatable value and all-American service for our nation’s hardest-working people.” 

– The staff, TelecomTV