US Clouds can’t keep EU data safe. Is Open Telekom Cloud the alternative?
In this article, we will explain when EU hyperscalers such as Open Telekom Cloud are a smart alternative to US hyperscalers.
In this article, we will explain when EU hyperscalers such as Open Telekom Cloud are a smart alternative to US hyperscalers.
The Problem with US Hyperscalers
US Hyperscalers like Google Cloud, Azure, AWS etc. are often used in European union companies. But now came the shock:
Microsoft has acknowledged that it cannot fully protect EU data from U.S. government access
Microsoft can’t guarantee full data sovereignty for customers in France or other EU countries because the U.S. Cloud Act lets the U.S. government request data from U.S. tech firms, even if that data is stored in Europe. Microsoft France says it would challenge baseless requests, but it must obey lawful ones. While Microsoft says it hasn’t received such requests for European data yet, rising geopolitical tensions are increasing worries about data security and national control.
Many companies tried to meet GDPR and similar rules by using enterprise plans and EU-hosted servers to keep data private. But new developments show Microsoft could still be forced to share data with the U.S. government if formally asked.
This creates a major trust risk that could hurt Microsoft’s reputation if it ever has to hand over users’ personal data to U.S. authorities.
The core issue isn’t Microsoft alone, but that U.S. law enables access to overseas data under the Cloud Act and related rules. As a result, U.S. cloud providers like Microsoft, Google, and AWS may no longer be the safest choice for strict data sovereignty needs.
Why Open Telekom Cloud is a strong alternative
For EU companies, switching to a sovereign cloud operator such as Open Telekom Cloud is a viable alternative to any US-based cloud hyperscaler for multiple reasons:
Hosted in Germany
The fact that the company is German, with all servers physically based in Germany and operated by the German company T-Systems, means that the data will always remain within the jurisdiction of Germany. That automatically makes Open Telekom Cloud fully compliant with multiple regulations, like BSI C5, PSA, TISAX Level 3, SOC 1-3 etc.
Certified for public sector and enterprise use
Open Telekom Cloud is already used by giants operating in highly competitive industries that process large volumes of special categories of personal data, such as:
- Healthcare companies
- Public sector
- Scientific and research institutions
- Automotive industry
- Many more
Still, Open Telekom Cloud is highly scalable and will meet the needs of businesses of various sizes, without hindering their rapid growth.
Operated by T-Systems (Deutsche Telekom)
Deutsche Telekom requires no introduction, as it is one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies. They are the ones behind OpenTelekomCloud, which means you can expect a predictable and stable environment for your data.
Technical Comparision with US Hyperscalers
This is also what makes Open Telekom Cloud special. It is not an Infrastructure as a Service provider, but it offers a broad set of Software as a Service solutions.
If you want to build a cloud native cloud platform today, you will most probably need services such as encryption, managed Kubernetes, generative AI, a container registry, firewalls, database as a service, and more.
Open Telekom Cloud provides all of these, including a good level of automation through Terraform. Creating a C5 or BIS compliant cloud platform is not a problem at all.
Benefits of a Sovereign Cloud Approach
Choosing a sovereign cloud approach with Open Telekom Cloud will give you total control over your data. You will have full sovereignty over data location, access, and processing.
Because of this, sovereign cloud services meet the highest (EU) compliance standards, and are a viable option for highly regulated industries such as pharma, healthcare, finance, as well as the public sector.
Lastly, the sovereign data approach fully aligns with EU core values, such as privacy, transparency, and digital independence. That means your company will be future-proof against any upcoming legislative changes by maintaining the same values and core principles when it comes to sovereign data.
Need Help Making the Switch?
If you are ready to move from a US cloud service provider and migrate to Open Telekom Cloud or any other EU‑based hyperscaler, iits consulting can help.
We specialize in helping businesses migrate to secure and compliant cloud platforms with minimal operational interruptions and in the shortest possible time.
We recommend choosing our KumoOps CloudOps as a Service offer, or if you need a custom solution, we recommend the Time & Material solution.
