What does edge calculation mean for telecom operators?

8/12/2019, Lightwave reports that CenturyLink, the third largest telecom operator in the United States, has announced that it will invest heavily in the development of edge computing networks. To this end, CenturyLink will first build more than 100 edge computing centers across the United States to support its own hybrid cloud and management business. CenturyLink will also work with major cloud service providers to deliver high-performance, low-latency edge cloud services.

   CenturyLink said it will use its entire 450,000-mile fiber-optic network to support edge cloud services. These fibers connect more than 2,200 public or private data centers across the United States and more than 15 corporate buildings. Not only that, CenturyLink will further expand the network to facilitate customers to carry out distributed business. CenturyLink claims that their fiber and edge computing resources can achieve latency of less than 5 milliseconds.

   Why do you need an edge computing network? CenturyLink pointed out in the press release that as business models become more distributed, the amount of data is larger, and more is based on transactions. The IT network behind it must also be distributed to achieve the corresponding computing, storage and other functions. Paul Savill, senior director of product management at CenturyLink, points out: "More and more customers are looking for support to support their applications with extreme requirements for latency, bandwidth and geographic distribution. CenturyLink's investment in edge computing networks will help businesses better. Super data centers, wireless carriers, system integrators and other customers are better able to adapt to their customers' digital transformation goals."

   For telecom operators in North America, they have lost ground in the cloud computing market, giving way to Internet giants such as Amazon, Google and Microsoft. But for the emerging edge computing, they will not give up easily. From a technical perspective, telecom operators with networks and distributed resources seem to have an innate advantage for edge computing. What is edge computing? What is the difference between it and cloud computing? There is an interesting metaphor for saying that "cloud computing is like a cloud in the sky, it can't be seen. Like the brain of an octopus, the edge calculation is similar to the small claws of the octopus. One claw is a small computer room, close to it. Specific physical." Where is the application prospect of edge computing? It is precisely in the current hottest 5G and Internet of Things. You said, how can telecom operators easily give up this battlefield. In China, China Unicom is the first to build the world's largest edge cloud virtualization platform test bed, with more than 50 ecological partners. At this year's MWC, China Mobile released the pioneering action of the edge computing "Pioneer 300". Of course, China Telecom has invested a lot in this field.

   What does edge computing mean for telecom operators? It is likely that this is their last card in the final battle with the Internet giant. In the era of 5G and the Internet of Things, low latency and high bandwidth have become the demands of more users. I wish telecom operators to seize this opportunity.