Microsoft is committed to helping customers embrace and benefit from a mobile-first, cloud-first world. Part of our vision to helping customers embrace technology like cloud computing, is to form strategic partnerships to help bring the technology to a broader set of customers. Today we are delighted to announce that our Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute ecosystem is expanding with exciting new alliances with BT and Verizon. With partners such as AT&T, Equinix and Level 3 already onboard in the US, these partnerships will help customers move to a mobile-first, cloud-first world on their terms, providing multiple options for connecting to Microsoft Azure. Together, we are not only bringing additional choice in cloud solutions to customers, but will also provide a more secure and reliable connectivity option for enterprise customers, reducing barriers for adoption of cloud computing and accelerating the growth of Microsoft Azure.

BT Helps Customers Adopt Cloud on Their Terms

Today’s announcement from BT, which builds on a long-standing partnership between the two companies, will enable customers using BT’s IP Connect Virtual Private Network (VPN) service to seamlessly extend their existing corporate networks into Microsoft Azure using the Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute service. We look forward to working with BT to bring this solution to the market first in Europe and then in Asia-Pacific over the coming months.  For more information on this partnership and what it means for our customers, I invite you to check out a blog from Jean-Philippe Courtois, President of Microsoft International, as well as the BT Let’s Talk blog.

Verizon Brings More Choice to the Cloud

We are also announcing a strategic alliance with Verizon Enterprise Solutions. With the launch of Verizon’s Secure Cloud Interconnect service, enterprises around the world will be able to use Verizon’s Private IP service to connect to multiple cloud services including the Verizon cloud and Microsoft Azure. We are excited to be a part of Verizon’s commitment to security, private connectivity, performance, simplicity and efficiency in the cloud. Stay tuned for more news on ExpressRoute right here on the Microsoft Azure blog.