Microsoft “Azure for Operators” market initiative/program was the cornerstone message of Microsoft’s presence at Mobile World Congress (“MWC”) Barcelona 2023. It was something of a coming-out party for the investments and engineering that Microsoft has undertaken for the past two-plus years.

In this extended Research Note, we unpack the Azure for Operators program, and its significance to the telecom market, and what in our view makes this offer from Microsoft unique among its competitors.