AT&T, HPE Create Joint Edge Computing Program, Anticipating 5G

HPE DISCOVER — AT&T and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) are forming a go-to-market program that enhances their respective edge computing offerings.

The program uses AT&T’s Multi-access Edge Compute (MEC) services and HPE’s Edgeline Converged Edge Systems solution. AT&T’s solution helps customers use AT&T cellular network and 5G technology, and HPE’s combines operational technology with enterprise IT into a single system.

AT&T’s Mo Katibeh

AT&T Business chief marketing officer Mo Katibeh said businesses will become more innovative as a result of having “compute power closer to our network.” Those innovations include the internet of things (IoT), machine learning and augmented reality, thanks in part to the increased capacity for data at the edge. The two companies said they are helping businesses build proofs of concept in the category of edge computing.

“AT&T’s software-defined network, including our 5G network, combined with HPE’s intelligent edge infrastructure can give businesses a flexible tool to better analyze data and process low-latency, high-bandwidth applications,” Katibeh said.

Multi-access edge computing is one of AT&T’s three 5G pillars, alongside fixed wireless broadband and mobile 5G. The telco has been encouraging partners to monetize the growing 5G opportunity.

HPE rolled out several enhancements to its “intelligent edge” strategy on Wednesday. Lynn Haber, who is reporting onsite at HPE Discover, wrote that HPE updated the Aruba Central platform and introduced new edge-to-cloud solutions.

“HPE believes that the enterprise of the future will need to be edge-centric, cloud-enabled and data-driven to turn all of its data into action and value,” HPE chief marketing officer Jim Jackson said. “Our go-to-market alliance with AT&T, using HPE Edgeline Converged Edge Systems, will help deliver AT&T MEC services at scale to help our customers more quickly convert data into actionable intelligence, enabling unique digital experiences and smarter operations.”

AT&T in February announced that it was enlisting the help of Microsoft Azure to power its edge services.

We wrote last week about how the widespread launch of 5G might be more of a marathon than a sprint.