Edge of a breakthrough: operators partner with public cloud providers

While the main drivers and use cases of edge computing are well established, the optimal business model for mobile operators remains uncertain. Operators could offer a full-service edge proposition, deploying and managing the edge infrastructure alongside the necessary devices and edge platform. Alternatively, they could allow third parties, such as public cloud providers, to co-locate equipment and host applications at the network edge. Application developers and enterprises welcome collaboration between operators and public cloud companies, as this allows them to access the same capabilities they already use in a centralised cloud environment. This should benefit operators as it will accelerate the development of latency-sensitive 5G use cases; however, it also risks further entrenching the position of public cloud companies.