IBM and AT&T have announced they are partnering to help bring 5G and open hybrid cloud services to enterprise customers.
Edge computing has become a critical component for many enterprises, as the amount of IoT devices multiples. As IBM points out, Gartner estimates that “by 2025, 75% of enterprise-grade data will be created and processed by devices at the edge.” Processing the data on the edge saves the time that would normally be required to send it back and forth to a data processing center.
5G is an important part of that process, as well as a way of improving the privacy and security for the enterprise. The creation of private 5G networks will power devices, while at the same time keeping the data from being transmitted over public networks.
As part of the partnership, IBM is building on its previous commitment to retool its software around Red Hat OpenShift. The company has been working with telcos all over the world, citing Verizon, Vodafone, Bharti Airtel and roughly 83% of the world’s largest telcos as its clients.
It’s not just telcos that benefit, however. IBM cites healthcare, manufacturing, retail, banking and finance as some of the principles markets that will benefit from its partnership with AT&T.
“The advancements in 5G and edge are impacting every industry, bringing the promise of enhanced experiences for consumers and new revenue opportunities for businesses,” said Howard Boville, senior vice president, IBM Hybrid Cloud. “Together with AT&T, we will be helping clients securely leverage 5G and edge offerings in any environment with IBM’s open and secure hybrid cloud platform. This marks a significant step forward increasing the possibilities of 5G and edge in the enterprise.”