AT&T enlists Orange to test its ECOMP networking platform

AT&T revealed Thursday that Orange is the first telecom company to test the ECOMP platform, the engine behind AT&T's software centric network.

First released in March, ECOMP is used by AT&T to speed up the deployment of new network services and meet the demand for network capacity. In June, AT&T committed to releasing ECOMP as open-source software in conjunction with the Linux Foundation to make it accessible to other operators and cloud developers.

Simply put, ECOMP helps service providers add features more quickly and reduce operating costs. It also gives them more control of their network services and enables developers to create new e-services. According to AT&T, these savings ultimately get passed on consumers because the network better adapts, scales, and predicts how to make their connected experiences seamless.

AT&T also envisions ECOMP has a key enabler of data-hungry technologies like autonomous cars, augmented and virtual reality, 4K video, and the Internet of Things.

"ECOMP is a stake in the ground. It's a declaration that networks of the future will be software-centric, that they'll be faster, more responsive to customer needs, and more efficient," said Chris Rice, SVP of architecture and design for AT&T. "Orange's decision, as one of the leading international carriers in the world, is a great endorsement of that approach."

As for Orange, the French telecom giant said it plans to start experiments with ECOMP first in a lab environment, followed by a field trial as part of its On-Demand Networks program.