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Broadcom and NTT DOCOMO extend partnership to strengthen private cloud infrastructure
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Broadcom and NTT DOCOMO have signed a 10-year agreement to advance the private cloud infrastructure supporting the Japanese telecom operator’s digital services. Announced on 21 October 2026, the agreement builds on a seven-year collaboration and focuses on improving service reliability, strengthening cybersecurity and accelerating the rollout of new services.
The agreement is Broadcom Japan’s first 10-year comprehensive VMware software agreement, covering licences, technical assistance and maintenance support, including VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF).
As telecom operators face growing infrastructure demands from AI adoption and increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, the partnership underscores the importance of resilient, adaptable platforms that can support critical digital services over the long term.
A common foundation for cloud and AI workloads
Since 2019, VMware, now part of Broadcom, has worked with DOCOMO to build and operate its private cloud infrastructure around VMware Cloud Foundation. Under the new agreement, the companies will align their long-term technology roadmaps and combine DOCOMO’s operational expertise with Broadcom’s technology and engineering resources.
The shared platform is intended to support virtual machines, containers and AI workloads, giving DOCOMO a more unified foundation for evolving its service infrastructure as technology requirements change.
Strengthening service continuity and cyber resilience
A key priority is maintaining service availability while infrastructure is upgraded, expanded and maintained. Broadcom says VCF will help DOCOMO manage servers, storage and networking through a unified platform, while adjusting resources to respond to changing demand and traffic spikes.
The agreement also places emphasis on proactive security. Capabilities such as timely patching, system-wide visibility and predictive anomaly detection are intended to help DOCOMO identify potential issues earlier and respond more quickly to emerging threats. Broadcom’s dedicated support and technical account teams will provide additional assistance as the operator adopts new technologies and security measures.
For a telecom provider whose digital services depend on reliable infrastructure, these measures are central to maintaining customer confidence and operational resilience.
Accelerating the delivery of digital services
The companies also plan to use VMware vSphere Kubernetes Service, the Kubernetes runtime integrated with VCF, to run virtual machines and containers on a common platform.
By automating development, testing, provisioning and release processes, DOCOMO aims to shorten the time required to introduce new services and features. A more consistent operating environment could also help development and operations teams respond more efficiently to changing customer expectations and market conditions.
Preparing for AI and next-generation infrastructure
Beyond immediate infrastructure improvements, the agreement sets out a longer-term direction for DOCOMO’s service platform, bringing together virtual machines, containers and AI. The companies also plan to advance AI-driven operations and automation to improve service quality and delivery speed.
Their future outlook includes developments such as expanding AI adoption, new AI-related security threats, 6G and Japan’s Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) initiative.
For Broadcom, the agreement extends a strategic relationship with a major Japanese telecom operator. For DOCOMO, it establishes a long-term framework for modernising the infrastructure behind its digital services while maintaining reliability and security.
The outcome will depend on how effectively the companies translate the agreement into operational improvements, faster service delivery and infrastructure capable of supporting emerging technologies.
About Broadcom
Broadcom Inc. develops semiconductor and infrastructure software solutions for organisations with complex, mission-critical technology requirements. Its portfolio includes VMware Cloud Foundation, which supports private cloud infrastructure.
About NTT DOCOMO
NTT DOCOMO, INC. is a Japanese telecommunications operator providing mobile communications and digital services. Its service infrastructure supports a broad range of customer-facing digital experiences.
Source: Broadcom announcement