How, and why, T-Mobile partnered with AWS for private wireless

MWC23 – T-Mobile in the US recently announced a teaming with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to sell its private wireless networking offerings through AWS' new "Integrated Private Wireless" program.

T-Mobile's Mishka Dehghan, SVP of the operator's strategy, product and solutions engineering, told Light Reading that the partnership is an expansion of T-Mobile's previously announced Advanced Network Solutions (ANS) business division. Here at the MWC Barcelona trade show, she said enterprise customers shopping for private networking options through AWS can select T-Mobile as their partner. They can then build a private wireless network running in the AWS cloud and using spectrum, products and services from T-Mobile.

According to an AWS executive, the company's new "Integrated Private Wireless" will offer enterprise customers the opportunity to build private wireless networks with licensed spectrum in addition to unlicensed spectrum. T-Mobile is so far the only US operator to participate in the program – Dish Network is noteworthy in its absence considering the fact that Dish has a broad partnership with AWS for Dish's 5G network. Deutsche Telekom, KDDI, Orange and Telefónica in Spain are also participating in the AWS "Integrated Private Wireless" program internationally.

However, Dehghan explained that T-Mobile doesn't view its teaming with AWS as exclusive. She said the company plans to take a multicloud approach to its enterprise sales efforts.

If you want to skip around and listen, here are a few more things covered in this interview:

• The basics of the deal. (1:05)
• T-Mobile's multicloud approach. (3:13)
• The licensed spectrum opportunity. (4:50)
• Is the private wireless networking opportunity moving too slow? (6:40)

— Mike Dano, Editorial Director, 5G & Mobile Strategies, Light Reading | @mikeddano