Impact of Customer Optimization on Cloud Revenue Growth
Large customers' optimization efforts have led to consumption growth below prior years' levels.
An AI-native customer is shifting towards self-management, reducing their cloud usage, which is expected to dampen Q4 cloud revenue growth by low single digits.
Despite short-term headwinds, the company remains confident in long-term growth, with a 31% increase in RPO indicating deeper customer commitments.
The sale involved extensive negotiations over several years, highlighting a major strategic pivot for the company.
The transaction included spectrum assets, which are expected to be monetized further through upcoming sales to AT&T and Verizon, projected to generate $2 billion in proceeds.
The completion of this sale is seen as a key milestone in the company's transformation and focus on infrastructure assets.
Accelerated Fiber Deployment and 2030 Growth Targets
AT&T plans to accelerate fiber deployment to 4 million new locations annually by the end of 2026, supporting a target of approximately 50 million customer locations by 2030.
The company aims to reach over 60 million fiber locations including acquisitions and joint ventures, doubling its fiber reach from over 30 million locations.
This expansion is supported by pro-investment provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which also facilitates spectrum pipeline development.
Arlo announced a strategic partnership with ADT, the largest security company in North America, in June.
The partnership involves device and service revenue, with a unique structure that is not comparable to previous deals like Verisure or Nest.
Details of the partnership are expected to be announced closer to the end of 2025 or early 2026, with a significant impact on revenue starting in 2026.
Private Cloud Bookings Surge and Strategic Expansion
Private Cloud bookings grew 24% sequentially and 42% year-over-year, driven by large, long-term deals across healthcare, BFSI, and telecom sectors.
Despite a delayed healthcare deal, management expects it to close in Q3, indicating ongoing pipeline strength.
Revenue for Private Cloud was $250 million, down 4% YoY, but shows signs of stabilization as existing bookings convert into revenue.
The company is expanding into mid-market and enterprise segments, with a focus on larger, longer-term contracts, increasing deal size and contract length.
Notable wins include a U.S. healthcare provider transitioning from hyperscale public cloud to private cloud for better control and cost predictability.
Strategic product releases, including Rackspace OpenStack Business, aim to support mission-critical and regulated workloads, reinforcing technical leadership.