Verizon、MEC機器、ソフトウェアで5Gの遅延を削減

テストは、ヒューストンにあるVerizonの5Gテストベッドで行われました。会社のエンジニアは、機器とソフトウェアをネットワークの境界に近いネットワーク施設に設置しました。Verizon engineers used Multi-Access Edge Compute (MEC) equipment and MEC platform software on a live 5G network that slashed network latency in half. Latency remains one of the most challenging aspects of 5G network deployments that are looking to power latency-sensitive use cases like autonomous vehicles and telemedicine. The test took place at Verizon’s 5G test bed in Houston. Company engineers installed the equipment and software at a network facility closer to the network edge, which reduced the physical distance data needed to travel between a wireless device and the compute infrastructure. The test itself used an automated intelligence-enabled facial recognition application to identify people. The MEC equipment was able to analyze the information at the network edge where the application was being used, which resulted in the lower latency result. “MEC moves application processing, storage, and management to the radio access network’s edge to deliver the desired low latency experiences, thereby enabling new disruptive technologies,” said Adam Koeppe, senior vice president for network planning at Verizon, in a statement. “This shift in where the application processing occurs, the inherent capabilities of 5G to move data more efficiently, and our use of millimeter wave spectrum is a game-changer when it comes to the edge computing capabilities we can provide.” Verizon is looking at edge networking components as part of its broader Verizon Intelligent Edge Network initiative. That initiative is targeted at changing how the service provider is running the network by making software the control point for the network, which means it’s easier to automate services and share different network assets. Company executives have also mentioned that the initiative will significantly lower the cost of running a network.