Vodafone Business: Evolving Your Network to Stay Ahead of the Competition

Adapting to rapid technological change and evolving work models is crucial for Asia-Pacific business owners to remain competitive. Insights shared by Vodafone Business experts emphasize the importance of embracing innovation and leveraging technology to meet the demands of a dynamic market landscape. By staying agile and proactive in adopting new technologies and adapting work practices, businesses can position themselves for success in the evolving business environment of the Asia-Pacific region.

During a recent webinar with iTnews readers, Andy Linham, Vodafone Business Principal Strategy Manager, highlighted the challenge facing Asia-Pacific businesses. He emphasized the need for these businesses to strike a delicate balance in navigating the rapidly changing technological landscape. This balancing act involves effectively managing the adoption of new technologies while also ensuring operational stability and continuity. By addressing this challenge strategically, businesses can position themselves to thrive amidst the evolving dynamics of the Asia-Pacific market.

Andy Linham highlighted the challenging balancing act that businesses in the Asia-Pacific region face. On one hand, there’s the demand for flexibility and agility from both employees and customers, which is essential for staying competitive in today’s market. On the other hand, there’s the critical need to address heightened security risks associated with the rapid adoption of new technologies and cloud services.

He noted that people have grown accustomed to the simplicity and immediacy of spinning up cloud services, similar to how they’ve embraced the flexibility of working from anywhere through the cloud. However, alongside this convenience comes the responsibility of ensuring robust security measures are in place to protect sensitive data and mitigate potential risks. Thus, businesses must navigate this balance carefully to harness the benefits of agility and innovation while safeguarding against security threats.Andy Linham emphasized that legacy networks are inadequate for meeting the demands of modern business operations. He pointed out that traditional networks were never designed to support the level of flexibility and agility required today.

Nadya Melic, Vice President and Head of Customer Solutions, further highlighted the evolving expectations of customers. She mentioned that customers are now seeking solutions that offer comprehensive understanding of the entire ecosystem, from end to end. Additionally, customers are looking for ways to lower costs while simultaneously enhancing security measures. This underscores the growing importance of integrated and cost-effective solutions that prioritize both security and efficiency in today’s business landscape.

The overhaul of communication networks has significantly impacted the operations of a major logistics provider in the Asia-Pacific region. As technology increasingly permeates business operations, security has emerged as a major concern.Vodafone played a pivotal role in assisting an Australian logistics company that operates across 13 geographies in transforming its infrastructure. This transformation involved implementing software-defined networking, mobile connectivity, and network security solutions.

Nadya Melic emphasized the importance of the network in enabling real-time tracking of items using technologies such as radio-frequency identifiers (RFID) within an Internet of Things (IoT) framework.Vodafone Business deployed a software-defined network fabric, leveraging both traditional internet connections and mobile connectivity, particularly in areas where conventional internet access was unavailable. This approach ensured seamless connectivity and enhanced security for the logistics provider’s operations across the Asia-Pacific region.

Nadya Melic underscored the critical importance of reliable and secure connectivity in the logistics industry, particularly for managing devices, tracking shipments, and facilitating operations across a global supply chain. She emphasized that any disruption or error in connectivity could have significant repercussions.In addition to supporting the logistics sector, Vodafone Business undertook a three-year project to overhaul the global network of a major Australian bank. This initiative highlights the increasing importance of secure and flexible networks in industries like banking, where even minor downtime can incur significant costs for the bank and its vast customer base.

Andy Linham reiterated the indispensable role of the network as the backbone of business operations, emphasizing that without it, the business would come to a halt. He emphasized the necessity of modern network architecture in the face of a growing threat landscape, advocating for solutions like Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) combined with Software-Defined Networks (SD-WAN) and cloud-based security tools to securely connect users from anywhere.Vodafone Business’s extensive reach and capabilities are reflected in its service to over 150 million connections for 1400 multinational customers across approximately 200 countries. This demonstrates the company’s commitment to providing reliable and secure connectivity solutions to businesses worldwide.