Deutsche Telekom joins Europe’s cloud-edge future

Deutsche Telekom can today announce that the company has begun the development of a common European cloud and edge-cloud infrastructure. The European Commission has given the green light for the strategic project, which will take place as part of the Important Projects of Common European Interest – Next Generation Cloud Infrastructure & Services (IPCEI-CIS) framework. This marks a pivotal step towards a prosperous European digital future. Deutsche Telekom brings proven experience in delivering secure and sustainable connectivity to the initiative, as well as orchestrating cloud platforms with diverse partners.

The IPCEI-CIS program aims to establish a common European “Cloud-Edge Continuum” – one shared cloud-edge infrastructure for Europe, with no internal borders. To this end, several billion euros will be invested within Europe to foster future data connectivity. The initiative seeks to establish a common set of technical standards, a shared regulatory framework, and sustainability requirements for European edge-cloud technology. This will encourage the development of pan-European solutions which leverage the continent’s scale and deepen the single market for digital services. A cloud-edge continuum also allows solutions to work across international borders, such as autonomous logistics processes, or driverless vehicles.

IPCEI-CIS is a collaborative project which currently involves twelve EU member states and various industry leaders, including Bosch, SAP, Orange and Airbus. The project will make a significant contribution towards the EU’s declared “Digital Decade” goal of 10,000 edge-cloud nodes across the continent by 2030. The IPCEI instrument came to life in 2014 for projects which promise a “significant contribution to economic growth, jobs, the green and digital transition and competitiveness for the Union industry and economy.” Approved IPCEIs include a rail and road connection between Germany and Denmark, as well a multi-billion-euro public investment in Europe’s hydrogen infrastructure.

CT Bureau