Combining the high speed and low latency of 5G with the processing power of edge computing can advance the Internet of Things and mobile experience.

What is edge computing?

Mobile gamers and industrial manufacturers using IIoT systems have one thing in common, the need to transmit and process data as fast as possible.  For both groups, milliseconds matter.

For mobile gamers, a few extra milliseconds of data transfer and processing time can mean losing to an otherwise equal opponent with a better network connection.  For manufacturers and IoT situations, milliseconds can make the difference between fast and efficient quality down controls and downtime that production while adjustments are made.

In these cases, it is helpful to have data transfer and processing as fast as possible.  That means high-speed, reliable, low-latency connections.  It is in this last area that edge computing shines.

What is edge computing? It's a system that brings computing resources servers or other hardware to the edge of the network, closer to where data is captured. This reduces the distance required for data processing, which improves response times compared to a typical cloud computing setup, as data may be transported to a data center populated by remote servers for processing.

How does edge computing work?

In other words, edge computing brings the data processing power of the cloud closer to where it is generated and ultimately used for decision making. When considering typical cloud computing and edge computing, the difference is all about location. Moving virtual data center functions closer to the edge of the network yields high-speed, low-latency performance that supports a variety of new use cases.

When considering typical cloud computing and edge computing, the difference is location. These use cases are definitely growing. According to data, only 10% of data was processed by edge computing in 2018, and researchers predict that this number will soar to 75% by 2025. The rapid deployment of IoT projects is driving this growth.

There are many terms used when talking about edge computing architectures. Mobile edge computing is most common when development initially focused on mobile networks and handsets; the term shifted to multi-access edge as edge computing has many industrial and manufacturing use cases computing (MEC).

Think of edge computing as an umbrella term for the general concept, and MEC as a form of edge computing technology; it provides computing that enhances networks, including 5G capabilities, so that developers can create applications and processes that support all of these new uses .

5G and edge computing: innovations and applications

5G can provide high speed, high capacity and low latency. Edge computing technology helps to take its performance to the next level. This reliable, high-speed connectivity and data processing is enabling new technological advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning, analytics, and more.

In industrial applications, edge computing technology may be part of a private 5G network, basically a private 5G network specific to a facility or business. The speed and connectivity of this network, combined with the advantages of edge computing, can enable automated guided vehicle management, near real-time analytics, and improve the efficiency of entire workflows.

The Future of Edge Computing

Future 5G edge computing applications are only limited by our imaginations and could impact everything from home security systems and gaming to agriculture, transportation and healthcare. The infrastructure that enables 5G edge computing also enables the development, deployment and scaling of ultra-low latency applications that can transform consumers and businesses in milliseconds.