Microsoft and Lumen Technologies team up to co-sell enterprise AI-ready networks

The partnership leverages both companies' cloud and network expertise to accelerate how enterprises scale AI and prepare for the next generation of agentic applications. As AI initiatives expand, organizations need to use data and applications distributed across public clouds, private data centers, offices, and partner environments. Yet the networks connecting these environments often remain fragmented and complex. Lumen’s capabilities help customers align network transformation with Microsoft Azure modernization plans earlier, so connectivity, security, data movement, and AI infrastructure decisions are planned as part of one enterprise architecture.

Lumen’s extensive network and on-demand control capabilities provide Azure customers with the simplified connectivity and resilient, high-performance network foundation needed to put AI to work. As part of the expanded collaboration, Lumen intends to bring its full suite of cloud networking and application connectivity capabilities to Azure, expanding how customers can access and deploy Lumen capabilities through Microsoft’s cloud and AI ecosystem. Alkira, a Lumen Connect solution available through Microsoft Marketplace, provides customers with an established purchasing option for its cloud-native networking capabilities.

The collaboration supports several enterprise priorities:

• Connect distributed data for AI: Link enterprise sites, data centers, and clouds to support Azure-based AI initiatives.
• Simplify hybrid and multi-cloud networking: Apply consistent policies and visibility across distributed environments.
• Adapt as needs change: Connect new clouds, partners, and applications without treating each as a separate networking project.

Lumen and Microsoft will share additional details about the expanded collaboration as joint go-to-market plans progress.

Read the full press release here: https://ir.lumen.com/news/news-details/2026/Lumen-and-Microsoft-Expand-Collaboration-to-Co-Sell-Enterprise-AI-Ready-Networks/default.aspx