The time is now: bringing compute power to the Edge via 5G

Companies depend on high capacity, low latency data processing to meet customers’ expectations.

A range of deployments is required to deliver a variety of services, each with their own advantages, but the emergence of Network Edge is a major evolution in the telco industry. Allowing businesses to bring compute power closer to workloads via 5G, it unlocks a more accessible deployment configuration for a wider variety of organisations and use cases. 

Network Edge has the potential to become a crucial cornerstone of technology deployments and if backed by the EE network - which BT has substantially invested in - the wide-spread 5G coverage and accompanying innovations including network slicing can be counted on to deliver seamless Network Edge deployments. 

With this, low latency and high-performance network is a given. Our Network Edge also comes with full-service, wrap-around support and an ecosystem of vetted partners so you always know your data is safe.

Making connectivity accessible

On-premise deployments can be used to support operations that require low-latency processing, but these are not always a viable solution. Often built bespoke, they are configured in line with particular workflows. However, organisations sometimes just want access to configurations that are easy to replicate and quick to deploy.  

Alongside its investment in the EE network, BT has developed a method to replicate Network Edge deployments through creating ‘anchor solutions’. These are solutions and/or configurations that have been developed alongside a customer which can then be tweaked for other customers with similar use cases, cutting deployment time. 

Breaking new ground in a maturing market

We have now reached a tipping point where once ‘hypothetical’ deployments are becoming reality, giving us a glimpse of Network Edge’s capabilities and the use cases that it can enable. 

Over the next 12 months, we expect to see a wide variety of deployments across many industries as the market matures. 

BT recently launched a first-of-its-kind 5G-enabled simulation experience. Built alongside Immersive Interactive Ltd. BT Immersive Spaces simulates real-life environments within an internal or external room, or mobile unit. Through EE’s 5G network, HD cameras are augmented with lights, sounds, and even smells in 360° environments based on real-life or imagined scenarios which are brought to life across the space’s wall and floors. With users virtually transported into simulated environments, the space can be used to deliver immersive training and experiences. 

Immersive Spaces is being fuelled by the EE network, with the Network Edge deployment lowering the traditional 18 hop journey of data from end-user to data centre to 10, reducing latency and providing a more seamless, stable connection.

From a foundation of network Edge-based services, businesses will increasingly experiment with VR/AR for a widely varying range of use cases. For instance, builders and surveyors will soon be able to analyse building sites without physically being there. While the same technology may also be used for inventory management and warehousing operations to minimise errors and make the picking process more efficient. 

Taking the worry away from off-prem security

All this potential innovation is incredible, but what makes it possible is wrap-around support and security. Through our partnership with AWS, BT Wholesale has built a cloud-secure environment directly into BT Wholesale’s own network. That means we have end-to-end control and know exactly where your data is at any point and can guarantee absolute data sovereignty. 

As a long-established provider of next-generation connectivity and infrastructure, BT Wholesale protects business-critical data with all the necessary security. Not only has every single partner in our ecosystem been vetted by us, but we can also offer encryption and enhanced cybersecurity depending on your unique use cases.

What’s needed to complete network Edge’s move into the mainstream?

Given the enormous potential for businesses and customers to benefit from Network Edge deployments, it is crucial for a mixture of organisations - including telcos, hyperscalers, and service providers - to collaborate in bringing Network Edge to the mainstream. 

The simple fact is that no individual company has all the capabilities to deploy Edge by itself. This means building an ecosystem of providers and partners in which innovative brands work together to develop seamless deployments. A wide range of expertise, ranging from connectivity and technical delivery through to customer experience, will be needed for Network Edge to meet its full potential.

BT Wholesale has your back

At BT Wholesale, we are committed to building an ecosystem that can make the most of what Network Edge has to offer and genuinely solves problems. With our credentials, you can open  a whole new world of possibilities – all with the knowledge that you’re getting access to a safe and superior network.

We provide access to the EE network - the UK’s leading 5G network and RootScore’s Best Network for 11 years and counting. We work hands-on with our customers to develop solutions that solve real-life challenges, and we’re never standing still. As Edge technology evolves, so do our ways of working so that partners and customers know we always have their backs. This was recognised earlier in the year as we won Best Wholesale Partner at the Mobile News Awards.

Get in touch to see if you want to chat through your Network Edge journey.