We’re pleased to have completed a project for the global leader in programmable network infrastructure software, Zeetta Networks to help them demonstrate the power of blockchain technology with a Proof of Concept (PoC) that could have significant benefits for the telecoms carrier industry.

Zeetta Networks develop software that enables open ICT network infrastructures that can be fully programmable, monitored and automated through an interactive platform. For instance, in helping to interconnect smart cities, industry or to implement 5G networks.

Along with their partner Colt Technology Services, Zeetta came to us ahead of a Proof of Concept showcase at MEF18, a huge conference for the global communications industry, held in October 2018 in Los Angeles.

An evolving market

The way in which global ICT networks are handled and delivered is changing and so Zeetta wanted to develop a blockchain-based PoC that shifts the industry from a bilateral present to a multilateral future. Currently, network infrastructure providers have to laboriously establish partnerships with other individual carriers when they need to extend their network, even for relatively small contracts. Zeetta and Colt’s demonstration showed how network carriers can buy and sell network services with anyone, in a secure, distributed and trusted open marketplace.

The world’s network carriers are seeking to work more closely to enable a seamless experience for their customers. As a result, the scale and complexity of business interactions between all parties in the network service value chain are increasing. In order to protect business interests, a secure, distributed system is required, with watertight security to maintain business privacy and transaction integrity.

A solution in blockchain

A distributed ledger, or Blockchain-based solution, creates an environment within which business can be securely transacted. Carriers and providers can then execute Smart Contracts with potential business partners in a private, secure environment with all interactions encrypted and recorded in the chain, reducing the complexity and costs while driving market demand for global connectivity.

The project was our first opportunity to use Hyperledger, currency-free blockchain technology, to handle the transactions. We held a workshop and discovery sprint with Zeetta and Colt to map out the demo and research the technology involved to design an application, one that had to be built in a matter of weeks, ready for MEF ‘18. During the demonstration the user could take delegates through transactions as if they were live. However, being demonstrated on location at a conference, one major limitation to overcome was to ensure it would run on a single machine in case of connectivity issues.

This project really demonstrated the power of blockchain technology in making transactions more trusted and secure whilst having the ability to revolutionise a market. This PoC could be a game-changer for the industry, accelerating development and orchestrating change.