• Edge computing, also known as multi-access edge computing (MEC), is expected to become widely adopted within enterprises by 2025.¹

• When real-time responsiveness matters—like using AR or heavy data processing—5G and Edge together add an extra boost.

• 5G + Edge addresses network gaps such as the need for lower latency, resilience when networks go down, and more data security.

• On-premise systems: MEC, combined with a 5G private network, can support an organization’s on-premise data requirements by reducing the amount of data that must be processed in a centralized location, reducing latency and costs. 
  
  
• Off-premise devices: Smartphones, video cameras, autonomous vehicles, and other connected devices—whether fixed or mobile—can enjoy low latency when operating off premises.
  
  
• Peered local zones: With 5G and MEC, businesses can run latency-sensitive applications in close proximity to endpoint devices—called peer zoning—to create a consistent experience.
  

1. The need for lower latency (more real-time responsiveness in business operations)
   
2. The increase in local data flows (much of which is ephemeral and noisy)
   
3. A requirement for resilience even when the network connection is down
   
4. The confidentiality or intimacy of the data and interactions (some regulated, some not)
   

With its low latency, bandwidth, resilience, and robust security, 5G can close these gaps. So, it’s not surprising that 5G is such a natural fit with MEC.

•  Data-intensive applications like augmented reality (AR), employing on-premise MEC systems, can be used for employee training and real-time assistance. 
•  Backhaul traffic is reduced when data is processed closer to the end device, resulting in increased efficiency and lower costs. 
• MEC may be more dependable than a centralized datacenter in a crisis or infrastructure failure, providing resilience for local data processing.

What does that look like in practice? Taqtile, a T-Mobile for Business partner, has developed an AR solution that uses 5G and MEC to support frontline workers in areas such as manufacturing and field maintenance.

Fixed edge can be valuable when processing data at a specific site. In precision agriculture, for example, sensors are used in the fields to monitor weather, soil, insects, and other factors related to a farm’s health.

Alternatively, 5G and MEC devices can be used together to establish a mobile edge, where 5G’s low latency, broadband capacity, and wide coverage provide ideal data connectivity. “Mobile use cases,” says Chan, “are where the Edge may really start to gain traction.”

Potential mobile edge use cases include theme parks, sporting events, and retail shopping centers—anyplace mobile devices or users generate data. 

Business explorations into the potential for using 5G and MEC together often start with a particular opportunity or challenge to be solved. Such conversations, Chan says, are generally focused on solutions, more so than the technology itself.

Applications based on computer vision—which employs digital cameras to generate visual data—are a leading example. Manufacturing is another hot area, with MEC systems being deployed on the factory floor for process automation and predictive maintenance. 

Other use cases identified by ETSI include IoT, local content distribution, data caching, and vehicle-to-anything (V2X) connectivity. “MEC will enable new vertical business segments and services for consumers and enterprise customers,” according to ETSI.

There are emerging applications across industries, such as immersive customer experiences in retail, event reporting in construction, and product tracking in transportation and logistics. 

These deployments often involve technology partners working together to provide customers with an end-to-end network solution. We collaborate with equipment manufacturers, infrastructure providers, and cloud service providers to assess 5G-plus-MEC opportunities, and to bring the pieces together in an integrated architecture. 

As edge computing catches on, it’s likely to spread to more devices and wider deployments. Economics are accelerating the trend, as MEC devices and intelligent routers with built-in processing become more affordable. As that happens, MEC deployments could grow to hundreds, or even thousands, of endpoints. 

Mobile edge, says Chan, could become “the next frontier” in edge computing. “We're thinking about Edge a little bit differently than the other guys,” he says. 

What might that look like? It could evolve into a bustling ecosystem of mobile edge solutions powered by 5G in transportation, logistics, supply chains, and other industry sectors. 

That’s an opportunity for business and technology leaders to think differently about the ways that 5G and MEC can be used together to deliver value to their own organizations and customers. 

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