Microsoft and Lumen Expand Co-Selling for Enterprise AI Networks

Microsoft and Lumen Technologies announced an expanded co-selling collaboration on November 2, 2026, focused on connecting the data, applications and infrastructure used for enterprise AI workloads and broadening access to Lumen networking capabilities through Azure and Microsoft Marketplace.

Microsoft and Lumen said enterprise AI initiatives often rely on data and applications distributed across public clouds, private data centers, offices and partner environments, while the connecting networks can remain fragmented and complex. The collaboration is intended to align network transformation with Azure modernization earlier, bringing connectivity, security, data movement and AI infrastructure decisions into one enterprise architecture. Lumen intends to bring its full suite of cloud networking and application connectivity capabilities to Azure, expanding how customers can access and deploy those capabilities through Microsoft’s cloud and AI ecosystem.

Co-Selling and Marketplace Access

Through the expanded co-sell effort, the companies plan to extend joint account planning around enterprise opportunities where network modernization, Azure migration and AI transformation converge. They also plan to identify opportunities to add further Lumen capabilities to Azure and Microsoft Marketplace over time. The stated enterprise priorities include linking sites, data centers and clouds for Azure-based AI initiatives; applying consistent policies and visibility across hybrid and multi-cloud environments; and connecting new clouds, partners and applications without treating each addition as a separate networking project.

Alkira, a Lumen Connect solution, is already available through Microsoft Marketplace as an established purchasing option for cloud-native networking. The vendor-provided Alkira Cloud Services Exchange listing describes a cloud-network-as-a-service product for connecting users, sites and clouds, with a design canvas for drawing networks, single-click deployment, integrated network and security services, operational visibility, advanced controls and governance.

Katy Brown, Microsoft’s corporate vice president for Americas Markets and Industries, said the collaboration is designed to preserve customer choice when connecting existing environments to Azure, while coordinating broader network transformation with Azure cloud and AI priorities and using Azure’s native networking and security capabilities.

Azure Integration and Agent Governance

Lumen with Alkira combines network infrastructure and orchestration in a single portal for connecting, securing and managing networks across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Azure supplies the cloud and AI services used to modernize infrastructure, build applications and scale AI workloads. Customers can use Azure-native networking capabilities, including Azure Virtual WAN, alongside Lumen connectivity and cloud-native networking according to their business requirements.

Microsoft and Lumen also plan to explore how AI-ready connectivity can work with Microsoft’s agent governance and security capabilities for agent-operated business processes. The planned work covers a secure, governed foundation spanning networks, cloud infrastructure, data, identities, applications and AI agents.

The expanded effort builds on an existing relationship in which Lumen’s Private Connectivity Fabric supports Microsoft data center connectivity and Azure supports Lumen’s workload modernization. The expanded collaboration applies that experience to enterprise cloud networking and AI infrastructure planning, with deeper joint work planned across Azure, AI-ready connectivity and governed agentic workloads. The companies will provide additional details as their joint go-to-market plans progress.

The established purchasing option is Alkira through Microsoft Marketplace, while the full Lumen suite on Azure and the agent-governance work remain planned elements of the expanded collaboration.