With Verizon 5G Edge with Google Distributed Cloud Edge, Verizon plans to bring Google’s compute and storage services to the edge of the local network enabling the bandwidth and low latency needed to support real-time enterprise applications like autonomous mobile robots, intelligent logistics and factory automation.
The companies expect that this combination of Verizon’s private On Site 5G and private 5G Edge with Google Distributed Cloud Edge will enable enterprises in industries from retail to manufacturing to unlock the power of 5G and mobile edge computing and gain operational efficiencies, higher levels of security and reliability, and improved productivity.
Verizon and Google Cloud also plan to develop public 5G mobile edge computing for developers and enterprises. The public 5G Edge solution has the potential to enable developers to build and deploy applications at the edge of Verizon’s wireless network in various locations throughout the U.S.
“By bringing intelligence from data centres to the network edge, Verizon 5G Edge with Google Distributed Cloud Edge will allow customers to build new cross-industry edge solutions, unlock new revenue models, and transform the next generation of customer experiences – from AI-driven in-store operations to live inventory management on the factory floor, the possibilities span multiple industries,” said Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud.
Ericsson, in collaboration with Verizon, will pilot 5G Edge with Google Distributed Cloud Edge as part of a proof of concept at its USA 5G Smart Factory. The first trial use case involves Verizon’s Sensor Intelligence solution, which involves attaching a camera to an autonomous mobile robot that will scan packages to maintain inventory and location of indirect materials in the factory’s warehouse. Then, using computer vision, the robot will communicate the bar code and shipping label data via 5G and mobile edge computing to the inventory management system, providing real-time analytics to improve logistics.
