Broadcom ‘bulldozes’ VMware cloud partners as March deadline looms
Summary
Broadcom has informed many VMware Cloud Service Providers (VCSPs) in the European Economic Area that their VCSP contracts will not be renewed after 26 January 2026. The company is moving to an invite-only Broadcom Advantage Partner Programme with a much smaller set of authorised providers and is encouraging partners to close opportunities by 31 March 2026. Sources say hundreds of European CSPs are affected, and trade group CISPE has criticised the move. Affected providers can service existing coterminous contracts for their remaining term but cannot execute new aggregate commitments or renewals. Broadcom says the changes are intended to simplify the VMware ecosystem and focus on partners committed to VMware Cloud Foundation.
Key Points
- Broadcom notified VCSP partners that current VCSP contracts will not be renewed after 26 January 2026.
- Partners are encouraged to close open opportunities by 31 March 2026; new contracts must be coterminous with existing commitments.
- The VCSP programme and White Label model in the EEA are being phased out in favour of an invite-only Advantage Partner Programme.
- Hundreds of European CSPs are reported to be affected, forcing potential customer transitions and supplier changes.
- CISPE and affected partners warn the move reduces choice, risks higher costs, and raises data sovereignty and compliance concerns.
- Some providers, such as WaveCom, plan alternative stacks (Apache CloudStack, Vates, Xen) rather than transferring customers to retained providers.
- Broadcom frames the change as strategic simplification to deepen focus on partners using VMware Cloud Foundation and to offer an alternative to hyperscalers.
Content summary
Broadcom has closed the existing Broadcom Advantage Partner Programme for VCSPs and will not renew many partner contracts, effectively narrowing the authorised partner ecosystem. The vendor’s notice allows affected partners to complete coterminous customer contracts for their existing terms but forbids new aggregate commitments or renewals, pushing a timely wind-down. Industry voices describe the action as forced consolidation that disadvantages long-standing European partners and their customers. Broadcom defends the move as a way to deliver greater value through a more focused partner base.
Context and relevance
This story matters to CSPs, enterprise customers, procurement teams and channel managers. It is part of a longer trend since Broadcom acquired VMware: partner programme consolidation, re-bundling of products and changes to support/licensing. The shift could disrupt customer relationships, procurement lifecycles and sovereign/cloud strategy in EMEA, and it ties into ongoing regulatory scrutiny by groups like CISPE and the European Commission.
Why should I read this?
Look — if you run, buy from, or partner with VCSPs in Europe, this could mess with your contracts and timelines. It explains the shutdown, the deadlines, what partners can and can’t do, and why some providers are already plotting exits. Saves you digging through partner notices and legal fine print.