AT&T, Google Cloud Reveal 5G, Edge Solutions For Enterprises

AT&T and Google Cloud are making good on their partnership launched last year with two new solutions that build on the companies’ 5G and edge computing expertise.

Carrier giant AT&T and tech behemoth Google have revealed two new IT offerings for businesses that build on the companies’ joint 5G and edge computing venture.

The co-developed solutions are using AT&T’s on-premises Multi-access Edge Compute (MEC) offering and the carrier’s Network Edge (ANE) capabilities through LTE, 5G, and wireline, as well as Google Cloud’s Edge Compute portfolio. The solutions will target a variety of verticals, including retail, healthcare, manufacturing, entertainment, according to the two companies.

The first solution, MEC with Google Cloud, is a fully-managed offering that enterprises can use to build and run modern applications close to their end users either on-prem, in a data center or cloud. MEC with Google Cloud will give businesses more control over data, improved security, lower latency, and access to higher bandwidth.

MEC with Google Cloud combines AT&T’s 5G and MEC technology with Google Cloud capabilities, including Kubernetes, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), data analytics, and the tech giant’s ISV ecosystem, the companies said.

[Related: Microsoft, AT&T 5G Deal Gives Azure Telecom Cloud A Boost]

ANE with Google Cloud lets enterprises deploy apps at Google edge points of presence (POPs) which are connected to AT&T’s 5G and fiber networks. The offering will give businesses faster and improved customer experiences thanks to the low-latency compute and storage environment, according to Dallas-based AT&T.

AT&T said it will be working with Google Cloud to bring ANE with Google Cloud to more than 15 areas within major U.S. cities this year, starting with Chicago and also including Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, and San Francisco.

The solutions will also let enterprises tap into a variety of popular Google apps to boost customer experiences and optimize their applications, such as Google Maps, Android, Pixel, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), the companies said.

“With premises-based 5G and edge computing, we give our customers even greater control of where their data goes and how they use it – at higher speeds and with lower latency. These capabilities allow businesses to deliver unique experiences to their customers, today and into the future,” Rasesh Patel, Chief Product and Platform Officer for AT&T Business, said in a statement on the new solutions.

The latest deal struck between AT&T and Google extends the existing relationship between the two companies that was forged last year when AT&T and Google began working on developing edge solutions geared for enterprises.

The Google deal follows another 5G-related deal that AT&T struck with Microsoft at the end of June. That partnership is bringing the carrier’s 5G workloads to the Azure for Operators platform to give AT&T access to Microsoft cloud, artificial intelligence and edge technology to assist with launching new 5G-enabled services, the companies said.