The Edge Helps CSPs Take the Next Step
Communication service providers (CSP) have powered digital experiences as we know them. The rapid growth in the use of digital services has made it abundantly clear what customers desire: They want faster response times to keep up with workloads powered by far more data than ever before and increasingly demanding applications. Pressed for time, businesses and users can’t wait for a huge number of round trips to the data center for larger and larger data sets. They want things fast, and that requires moving the processing to the edge. As such, CSPs have to evolve their networks.
The speed advantage delivered by 5G edge infrastructure enables CSPs to support use cases like operation of a real-time sensor environment or virtual try-on solutions for retailers. Use cases such as remote surgery or autonomous driving may not be possible without edge infrastructure technology. There is no doubt that CSPs will find large, new revenue streams for services built on 5G edge network-based service offerings. However, not all edge solutions are the same. Choosing partners that offer multiple options to optimally deploy and run workloads not only enables compelling new CSP services, but it makes them more profitable.
Next-Generation Edge Use Cases
Next-generation applications and services can be deployed across a wide range of industries. Some of the most notable include:
- Manufacturing—Augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) will allow employees to virtually walk around a plant or see inside a process or activity. The use of sensors and robots will make it possible to improve the workplace conditions of many hazardous or dangerous jobs—for example, the use of cameras can spot missing safety measures in real time or machines can be powered down if a person approaches in an unsafe manner. 5G edge technology makes all these use cases feasible, and the CSPs that provide them will become go-to partners.
- Healthcare—By gathering more patient data in real time, healthcare providers can improve patient outcomes, a fact that is driving interest in at-home monitoring and medical devices that that can be used remotely. Although it might sound futuristic, 5G edge technology will enable remote robotic surgery and even remote surgery to serve patients in outlying areas. The future of healthcare may depend on CSPs having the network and edge capabilities to help providers deploy such services.
- Logistics—5G edge technology will provide far more data about more aspects of every load of goods or individual package. CSPs will be well positioned to provide the connections that make it possible to receive sensor data for shipments from a variety of modes of conveyance. 5G edge technology will simplify transportation by supporting the need to meet specific temperature, humidity and time constraints.
- Cities—Smart cities will become smarter and enable more mobility with 5G edge technology. Given the limited technical resources most municipalities have, many will depend on CSPs to provide full solutions for applications such as traffic monitoring, public safety, emergency communications, environmental monitoring and many more use cases that will only be possible using 5G edge technology.
- Retail—Retailers are evaluating use cases such as virtual dressing rooms, instant customization and the use of AR/VR in the consumer experience. In addition, leveraging AI and expert systems to improve the customer experience in real time will become common.
- Sports and entertainment—Professional sports teams are already exploring how 5G edge technology will make the in-person and remote fan experience more compelling, even putting the fan on the field virtually in some cases. Fans will be able to engage with one another and their team of choice in new and exciting ways. This will be highly desirable for those who cannot attend events. The ability to combine virtual and organic components of the fan experience will make this a fertile market for CSPs.
A Best-in-Class Edge Infrastructure Option
Many of these use cases benefit from applications that run at the edge and require low latency or local data processing capabilities or simply need real-time interaction with other services. Intel and Google Cloud have taken a leadership position in enabling CSPs to deliver innovative new services and capabilities to their enterprise customers at scale, while also providing them with the flexibility to run workloads with the optimal infrastructure and central management. Google Distributed Cloud Edge extends Google Cloud infrastructure to the edge and into customer data centers. The solution unifies the management of infrastructure and applications across on-premises, edge and multiple public cloud environments, all while offering consistent operation at scale. The solution includes Intel’s FlexRAN reference software and Intel® Xeon® Scalable processors to accelerate delivery of 5G services at the edge.
CSPs can quickly build and deliver new services by leveraging Google Cloud’s platform. Intel is providing the CPU power for 5G edge infrastructure that can support the performance and agility CSPs will require. This highly reliable, resilient and adaptable infrastructure is perfectly suited to meet CSPs’ 5G edge needs, enabling providers to deliver successful use cases to their enterprise customers. To learn more about extending your 5G networks to the edge, visit the Google Distributed Cloud site.
