19 March 2020 - MUNICH, GERMANY: Telefónica Germany is set to connect more than 8,000 sites across Europe for the ALDI retail group. The Munich-based company will launch a sustainable, next‑generation European corporate network, thereby becoming a central partner to ALDI. Telefónica’s solution uses Cisco SD-WAN technology.
“This milestone project allows us to demonstrate our innovative strength and performance in state-of-the-art networking solutions”, says Karsten Pradel, B2B Director at Telefónica Germany. “Never before has there been such an extensive and modern SD-WAN installation in global retail. We are proud to be implementing this for ALDI and to be supporting our partner in the digitalisation of their business.”
The setup and operation of a software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) on this scale sets standards that go far beyond the borders of Telefónica Germany's domestic market: sites operated by ALDI SOUTH, ALDI North and Hofer in 14 European countries will be connected to the new network. Together with Cisco, Telefónica is connecting more than 4,000 sites in Germany alone. This step is further testament to the commitment to drive the digital transformation of its business partners.
Expansion of long-term collaboration with a major partner
Telefónica Germany and ALDI have already been collaborating successfully for many years on ALDI TALK mobile services. To ensure optimum implementation of the SD-WAN network for ALDI’s stores, regional and national corporate offices, and external suppliers in Europe, Telefónica Germany is relying on a diverse network of partners and a globally applicable solution from the Telefónica Group. The group has already successfully installed SD-WAN solutions for numerous international companies.
“We are creating a standardised and homogeneous network for ALDI in 14 European countries,” says Alfons Lösing, Chief Partner and Wholesale Officer and member of the board of directors at Telefónica Germany. “As part of one of the world’s leading telecommunications groups, we have many years of experience and references when it comes to innovative solutions. We are delighted to have been given this opportunity to develop our long-term partnership with ALDI, by providing them with one of the largest SD-WAN networks in the world.”
Network of the future – faster, more reliable and scalable
Wide area networks (WANs) cover enormous areas. Many of them cross country borders or even continents, and as such are not restricted to the connections of local computers and systems. In the past, WANs were often built using technologies that relied on customised company-specific hardware. In the meantime, many organisations have shifted the focus of their digital strategies to enable a transformation to software-based networks.
Compared with conventional corporate networks, SD-WAN has optimised speed, scalability and reliability.
“Under the leadership of Telefónica Germany, we have succeeded in developing an innovative solution that suits ALDI’s requirements. The three major goals – security, efficiency and low operating costs – have been fully achieved,” says Rüdiger Wölfl, who is responsible for key accounts at Cisco in Germany.
High expectations in terms of security, scalability and operability
Compared with conventional solutions for corporate networks, SD-WAN solutions deliver much better, more flexible and centrally managed networking for less money. Telefónica Germany has developed a tailor-made network design for ALDI that meets the retailer’s very specific requirements. A crucial specification was that the product had to be easy to operate. The SD‑WAN solution needed to be intuitive to use and help to reduce operating costs. Furthermore, it needed to be rolled out to thousands of sites with ease, whilst remaining flexible and easy to manage. The solution also needed to be able to support different networks on the same infrastructure as well as allow for secure, isolated operations.
Individual network solutions
Telefónica Germany is currently working with many customers on transformation programmes to implement digital strategies through the provision of appropriate networks. Although digitalisation affects nearly all companies regardless of size or business model, the individual requirements vary enormously. For this reason, extensive knowledge, experience and skills are essential for ensuring that each individual project delivers maximum advantages and benefits to the company concerned, along with the best possible functional scope. Telefónica Germany is ideally equipped to deliver such solutions. The company has already successfully completed a large number of comparable networking projects. By adding the upcoming networking of the ALDI sites to its portfolio, the company is increasingly becoming the market leader in the field of SD‑WAN solutions.
Telefónica Deutschland offers telecommunications services for private and business customers, as well as innovative digital products and services in the fields of the Internet of Things and data analytics. With 50.4 million customer connections (as of 31 December 2019), the company is one of the leading integrated telecommunications providers in Germany. In the mobile segment alone, Telefónica Deutschland is responsible for more than 46 million connections – no other domestic network operator connects more people. By 2022, the company aims to become the “Mobile Customer & Digital Champion”, meaning the preferred partner for customers in the German mobile service market, allowing them mobile freedom in the digital world. Through its core brand O2 and various secondary and partner brands, the company sells postpaid and prepaid mobile telecommunications products with innovative mobile data services. The foundation of this is a mobile service network based on a high‑performance GSM, UMTS and LTE infrastructure. Telefónica Deutschland also provides telephony and high-speed internet products, such as VDSL, in the area of fixed line services. Telefónica Deutschland Holding AG has been listed in the Prime Standard on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (TecDAX) since 2012. In the 2019 financial year, the company generated revenue of EUR 7.4 billion with its almost 9,000 employees. The company is majority owned by the Spanish telecommunications group Telefónica S.A., headquartered in Madrid. With operations in 14 countries and a customer base of approximately 345 million connections, the group is one of the world’s biggest telecommunications providers.
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