IBM has announced an open, hybrid cloud architecture called IBM Cloud for Telecommunications to help telcos address the specific challenges of the industry.

The platform helps them accelerate business transformation and enhance digital client engagement as they modernize their enterprise applications and infrastructure to unlock the power of 5G and edge.

Built on IBM Cloud Satellite, currently in beta, and leveraging Red Hat OpenShift, clients can deploy IBM Cloud services anywhere: on the cloud, on premises or at the edge, while addressing industry-specific requirements and data protection.

Nokia, Samsung, Cisco and 35 more partners commit to join IBM’s ecosystem and help accelerate 5G and edge innovation for customers.

The platform also integrates and extends IBM Edge Application Manager and IBM Telco Network Cloud Manager to help reduce network-related infrastructure costs, increase automation, speed deployment of next-gen services, and deliver new consumer and enterprise value.

The hybrid cloud offering will be complemented by the company’s ecosystem partners’ software and technology.

IBM said that its partner ecosystem will provide customers with a range of ways to leverage the platform to enable them to deliver next generation 5G and Edge services, deploy and manage new cloud capabilities, and enrich relationships through AI-driven engagement.

The IBM Cloud for Telecommunications Ecosystem will continue working with partners to build practices that help customers build and deploy solutions on IBM’s open hybrid cloud platform and at the heart of the Telco industry.