Lumen’s next-generation fibre network will support AWS infrastructure across the US amid the expansion of AI-driven services
Lumen Technologies and Amazon Web Services (AWS) have announced an agreement to strengthen data centre connectivity and optimise network delivery of cloud technologies for hundreds of millions of customers across the US.
Lumen will use AWS technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and security to modernise its applications and systems, and drive innovation in its portfolio of communications, network services, security and voice products.
In addition, Lumen will provide fibre connectivity to AWS data centres, helping enterprise customers build and deliver highly scalable AI applications across AWS Regions and AWS Local Zones.
Enhancing infrastructure to support AI growth
Through its Private Connectivity FabricSM solution, Lumen will provide dedicated infrastructure with private fibre connections between AWS Regions and Local Zones. AWS will continue to deploy its custom network technologies on this fibre, enabling industry-leading security, availability and performance between AWS locations.
The enhanced AWS network will enable high-bandwidth and dynamic connections that provide customers with the ability to develop Generative AI applications, train AI models and deliver new AI-powered products across its Region and Local Zone footprint.
“AI is reshaping industries, and the network infrastructure supporting it needs to be just as dynamic and responsive,” said Kate Johnson, President and CEO, Lumen Technologies. “AWS wants their customers to thrive in the AI economy and this network expansion will help enable that. As the trusted network for AI, Lumen is using next-generation fibre to help AWS deliver high-bandwidth solutions that will allow their customers to experience and deliver AI’s full potential.”
Matt Garman, CEO, AWS, said: “The next wave of innovation will be driven by Generative AI, which requires a combination of secure, scalable cloud infrastructure and flexible networking. Together, AWS and Lumen will enable high-performance network connections that ensure customers across every industry can build and deliver compelling, secure and reliable AI applications at scale.”
Using AI to modernise network systems for improved customer delivery
Lumen is moving its IT and product platforms to AWS to drive performance, scalability and operational efficiency. In the future, Lumen can apply Generative AI technology, including Amazon Bedrock, to help better plan and optimise network resources. This will give Lumen full visibility of their network, both on-site and in the cloud, improving customer experience and reducing costs.
“By applying Generative AI technologies like Amazon Bedrock, Lumen can transform its operations to enable faster decision-making and more autonomous, highly resilient networks,” Garman said.
Lumen believes it will be able to transition to a Generative AI-powered autonomous network platform that can dynamically manage resource allocation, as well as quickly identify and address service and network-related issues.
“Lumen is taking a page from Amazon’s disruption playbook by ‘cloudifying’ telecommunications and networking. With AWS, we are able to support our transformation and the growing needs of our customers,” added Johnson.
Lumen and AWS have been partners for years. As an AWS Managed Service Provider Partner, Lumen helps customers migrate workloads to AWS, ensuring a smooth transition to their cloud infrastructure.
