BELLEVUE, Wash.—T-Mobile and Google Cloud have announced that they will be working together to develop advanced 5G network solutions that combine the power of 5G networks and edge compute technologies.
As part of the effort, T-Mobile will connect its 5G ANS suite of public, private and hybrid 5G networks with Google Distributed Cloud Edge (GDC Edge) to help customers deploy next-generation 5G applications and use cases in such areas as AR/VR.
The partnership comes at a time when the global edge compute market size is expected to grow by 37.9% to $155.9 billion in 2030 and more companies are focusing on edge computing, which offers lower latency for such services as streaming, online gaming, AR and VR, the two companies reported.
As part of the agreement, GDC Edge customers across industries will be able to leverage T-Mobile’s 5G ANS easily to get the low latency, high speeds, and reliability they will need for any use case that requires data-intensive computing processes such as AR or computer vision, the companies reported.
To demonstrate the promise of 5G ANS and GDC Edge in a retail setting, T-Mobile created a proof of concept at T-Mobile’s Tech Experience 5G Hub called the “magic mirror” with the support of Google Cloud. This interactive display leverages cloud-based processing and image rendering at the edge to make retail products “magically” come to life. Users simply hold a product in front of the mirror to make interactive videos or product details — such as ingredients or instructions — appear onscreen in near real-time.
“We’ve built the largest and fastest 5G network in the country. This partnership brings together the powerful combination of 5G and edge computing to unlock the expansion of technologies such as AR and VR from limited applications to large-scale adoption,” said Mishka Dehghan, senior vice president, strategy, product, and solutions engineering, T-Mobile Business Group. “From providing a shopping experience in a virtual reality environment to improving safety through connected sensors or computer vision technologies, T-Mobile’s 5G ANS combined with Google Cloud’s innovative edge compute technology can bring the connected world to businesses across the country."
“Google Cloud is committed to helping telecommunication companies accelerate their growth, competitiveness, and digital journeys,” said Amol Phadke, general manager, global telecom industry, Google Cloud. “Google Distributed Cloud Edge and T-Mobile's 5G ANS will help businesses deliver more value to their customers by unlocking new capabilities through 5G and edge technologies.”
