As telecom networks become cloud-based, and IT and network infrastructure converge, the jostling for position between telco, IT and cloud players is fascinating. The past five years, in particular, have seen the webscalers getting closer and closer to the telecoms operators. Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Amazon AWS and Facebook have all, in different ways, embedded themselves in the telco space. They have invested directly in connectivity, especially to extend access to their services in underserved areas, harnessing shared spectrum. Google even tried to deliver a kick to the US fiber-to-the-premise roll-out by investing in its own, briefly. Longer term initiatives include Google Loon and Microsoft TV white spaces networks in emerging markets, or Amazon’s trials of enterprise edge services in…