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Orange Business Services Selects Ekinops and Dell Technologies for uCPE Platforms to Accelerate Network Edge Transformation
[February 18, 2020]

Orange Business Services Selects Ekinops and Dell Technologies for uCPE Platforms to Accelerate Network Edge Transformation


Orange (News - Alert) Business Services has chosen Ekinops and Dell Technologies as partners for a new universal customer premise equipment (uCPE) solution. This platform plays a key role in network transformation, including software defined networking (SDx), providing customers with increased business agility, flexibility and simplicity in service deployment. Orange will deliver solutions based on this uCPE to mid-market and large enterprise customers worldwide starting in 2020.

The solution is a result of co-innovation between Orange and its strategic partners Ekinops and Dell (News - Alert) Technologies, combining Enterprise Branch Server IT and Virtualization Management. The uCPE uses hardware provided by Dell Technologies OEM | Embedded & Edge Solutions running middleware built by Ekinops (News - Alert), a supplier of advanced network access solutions. It will allow enterprises to consolidate their site connectivity and functionality with virtual network functions (VNF) management.

Enterprises can install VNFs remotely to a uCPE deployed at any site. A single box can run multiple network functions, such as routers, SD-WAN, firewalls and WAN optimization, allowing customers to provision new sites and services much more quickly. The Ekinops VNF certification program currently has certified over 30 third-party VNFs.

Supporting push towards Edge computing
The solution will also help enterprises move toward Edge computing, with use cases such as video, AI or IoT running locally on the uCPE. Carrying out data processing at the Edge will help them improve application performance and assure data privacy.

"Our global enterprise customers require increased flexibility in terms of connectivity solutions and infrastructure optimization. This uCPE solution developed with Ekinops and Dell Technologies will give enterprises further choice in terms of deployment and reinforces our ecosystem-based approach. We believe that flexible solutions such as these are essential for customers looking to run an increasing number of services at the Edge," said Anne-Marie Thiollet, Vice President, Connectivity Business Unit, Orange Business Services (News - Alert).

"The combination of or middleware and VNFs with the powerful uCPEs and global presence of Dell will ensure the best possible quality, performance and support for Orange enterprise customers. We are committed to help service providers adopt software-defined networking, and our growing line of software products has proven to be at the cutting edge, as this announcement attests," said Didier Brédy, Ekinops CEO.



"Our uCPE range offers an ideal solution for service providers who are looking to modernize operations for connecting branch locations to the WAN, reduce complexity and foster business impact," said Sanjay Tyagi, Vice President and General Manager, EMEA OEM | Embedded & Edge Solutions, Dell Technologies.

About Orange Business Services
Orange Business Services is a network-native digital services company and the global enterprise division of the Orange Group. It connects, protects and innovates for enterprises around the world to support sustainable business growth. Leveraging its connectivity and system integration expertise throughout the digital value chain, Orange Business Services is well placed to support global businesses in areas such as software-defined networks, multi-cloud services, Data and AI, smart mobility services, and cybersecurity. It securely accompanies enterprises across every stage of the data lifecycle end-to-end, from collection, transport, storage and processing to analysis and sharing.


With companies thriving on innovation, Orange Business Services places its customers at the heart of an open collaborative ecosystem. This includes its 27,000 employees, the assets and expertise of the Orange Group, its technology and business partners, and a pool of finely selected start-ups. More than 3,000 multinational enterprises, as well as two million professionals, companies and local communities in France, put their trust in Orange Business Services.

For more information, visit www.orange-business.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and our blogs.

Orange is one of the world's leading telecommunications operators with revenues of 42.2 billion euros in 2019 and 266 million customers worldwide at 31 December 2019. Orange is listed on the Euronext Paris (ORA) and on the New York Stock Exchange (ORAN). In December 2019, Orange presented its new "Engage 2025" strategic plan, guided by social and environmental accountability. While accelerating in growth areas, such as B-to-B services and placing data and AI at the heart of innovation, the entire Orange Group will be an attractive and responsible employer.

Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trademarks of Orange or Orange Brand Services Limited.


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