Juniper Networks trumpeted a contract with BT to support the U.K.-based telco’s move to a cloud-based, unified and virtualized network infrastructure that, among other things, will underpin its 5G roll out and reinforce its strategy to become a provider of converged wireless and wireline products.

The new contract supports BT’s plan to deploy a single platform, dubbed the Network Cloud infrastructure, which can support its various lines of business and drive the convergence of wireless, WiFi, and wireline services.

The operator said it will be able to combine a range of “currently discrete” network functions and deploy them on a cloud infrastructure that is built to a common framework and shared across the organization, throughout the U.K. and globally. “These include services across BT’s voice, mobile core and radio/access, global services, ISP, TV, and IT services, as well as a host of internal applications, thereby cutting operational expenditure and significantly simplifying operations throughout the organization,” according to the Juniper statement.

Specifically, BT is said to be investing in a range of Juniper products including the Contrail networking platform for SDN capabilities to automate and orchestrate the virtual networks; the AppFormix monitoring software to analyze both physical and virtual environments; and the QFX Series ethernet switches for a flexible spine and leaf underlay fabric.

Neil McRae, chief architect at BT, said that the move to a single cloud-driven network infrastructure “will enable BT to offer a wider range of services, faster and more efficiently to customers in the U.K. and around the world. We chose Juniper to be our trusted partner to underpin this Network Cloud infrastructure based on the ability to deliver a proven solution immediately so we can hit the ground running. Being able to integrate seamlessly with other partners and solutions and aligning with our roadmap to an automated and programmable network is also important.”

BT has already dipped its toes into the field of converged services with the launch of BT Plus packages and is now clearly planning to take this strategy to the next level through the construction of an automated, programmable network. BT’s mobile unit EE has already got off the starting blocks with 5G, becoming the first U.K. operator to launch the next-generation mobile service with an initial focus on six cities.