In this comprehensive look at edge computing’s evolution, we’ll explore its impact on network infrastructure, operational efficiencies, and future technological trends, focusing on why it is quickly becoming a necessity for enterprises aiming to stay competitive in a digital-first world.

Decentralization of Data Processing: A Game Changer for Enterprises

Edge computing represents a monumental shift from the traditional centralized model of data processing. In the cloud-based model, data is sent to distant data centers for processing, a system that often introduces delays and consumes bandwidth. For enterprises dealing with critical real-time applications—such as healthcare monitoring, autonomous vehicles, and industrial automation—this model is increasingly inadequate.

“Enterprises today cannot afford the delays introduced by centralized data processing,” says John Harrington, CIO of a global manufacturing firm. “Edge computing enables us to process data at its point of origin, significantly reducing latency and enhancing decision-making speed in real-time environments.”

This shift is pivotal. By processing data closer to its source—whether it’s an IoT sensor, a smart device, or an autonomous system—enterprises can alleviate the strain on central networks, minimize latency, and improve overall efficiency. As Parker Austin, Director of Open Source at Honeycomb, explains, “Edge computing reduces the distance data must travel, resulting in faster processing times. This is especially valuable for businesses relying on instantaneous data analytics.”

For CIOs and network leaders, the decentralization of data processing brings not just speed but also flexibility. Companies can handle a greater variety of tasks locally, without overloading central servers, which has profound implications for operational scalability and efficiency.

Enhancing Real-Time Data Processing for Critical Applications

In industries such as autonomous driving, healthcare, and financial services, latency isn’t just a nuisance—it’s a critical risk. Every millisecond counts, and delays can result in significant consequences. This is where edge computing’s ability to process data locally becomes indispensable.

“Imagine an autonomous vehicle needing to make a split-second decision in traffic—latency can’t exist in that scenario,” says Tom Richards, CTO of a leading automotive technology firm. “With edge computing, we ensure that decisions are made in real time, without the delays that come with sending data to the cloud.”

Edge computing’s capability to facilitate near-instantaneous data processing is a critical advantage for enterprises. In healthcare, for instance, medical devices can process patient data locally, enabling quicker interventions. The same applies in industrial automation, where processing sensor data on-site can prevent costly machinery breakdowns before they occur.

“This is a significant development for industries that rely on real-time decision-making,” adds Harrington. “It enables us to act faster, avoid potential risks, and provide superior customer experiences.”

Optimizing Bandwidth and Network Traffic

Another transformative advantage of edge computing is its ability to optimize bandwidth usage and reduce network congestion. As enterprises deploy thousands of IoT devices and generate vast amounts of data, the traditional cloud model struggles to handle the increased load. Edge computing addresses this challenge by processing much of the data locally, thereby reducing the amount of raw data that needs to be transmitted across networks.

“Bandwidth has become a critical resource, and we can’t afford to waste it,” explains Lisa Chen, Head of Network Infrastructure at a multinational retail chain. “By using edge computing, we can process critical data on-site and only send the most relevant information to our central cloud. This reduces network congestion and allows us to better manage our bandwidth.”

Chen’s point speaks directly to enterprise-level concerns about the efficiency of large-scale networks. Reducing the data that needs to travel across a wide-area network (WAN) doesn’t just save bandwidth—it improves the entire network’s reliability and performance. For enterprises with global operations, this has a compounding effect, as the demand for data transmission from remote sites to central data centers diminishes.

“Edge computing has enabled us to distribute our network traffic more efficiently,” says Richards. “By processing data closer to its source, we’ve reduced bottlenecks and freed up bandwidth for more critical tasks.”

Addressing Security Challenges in a Distributed Ecosystem

While edge computing offers numerous advantages, it also introduces new security challenges, particularly for enterprises handling sensitive data across distributed endpoints. With data being processed at multiple local nodes instead of a centralized cloud, the potential attack surface increases.

“Enterprises need to rethink their security strategies in an edge-computing environment,” warns Laura White, Chief Compliance Officer at a cybersecurity firm. “You are now dealing with a more distributed system, which means security measures need to be implemented at each endpoint, not just at the central hub.”

This distributed nature makes edge computing environments more vulnerable to cyberattacks, particularly if robust security protocols are not in place. Traditional security approaches, which focus on protecting a centralized server, are insufficient. Instead, enterprises must adopt a more comprehensive strategy, incorporating encryption, secure hardware, and real-time threat detection across all nodes in the network.

“Zero-trust security models will become increasingly important as edge computing proliferates,” explains White. “In a zero-trust model, no device, user, or process is trusted by default. Enterprises must ensure that each interaction is verified and secure, regardless of where it occurs in the network.”

Scalability and Flexibility for Growing Enterprise Demands

As businesses grow, so too does the complexity of their network infrastructure. In traditional cloud models, scalability often comes with the risk of overloading central systems or requiring costly upgrades to existing infrastructure. However, edge computing offers a more scalable solution, allowing enterprises to distribute processing power more effectively across the network.

“Edge computing gives us the flexibility to scale without overwhelming our central servers,” says David Reynolds, CEO of a global logistics company. “We can process data closer to the point of origin, which not only enhances performance but also allows us to integrate new technologies and devices without compromising our network’s stability.”

This flexibility is particularly crucial for applications that rely on real-time analytics, such as smart cities, industrial IoT, and autonomous systems. As the number of connected devices increases, the ability to process data locally ensures that networks remain agile and responsive, even as they scale.

“Edge computing allows us to adapt more quickly to emerging technologies,” adds Reynolds. “We can scale as needed without reconfiguring our entire infrastructure.”

The Future of Edge Computing: 5G and AI Integration

Looking ahead, the continued rollout of 5G networks and advancements in AI will further accelerate the adoption of edge computing. The high-speed, low-latency nature of 5G will make it easier for enterprises to deploy edge solutions, while AI at the edge will unlock new capabilities in data processing and decision-making.

“The integration of 5G and AI will take edge computing to new heights,” predicts Chen. “With 5G, we can deliver faster data processing and real-time analytics at the edge, while AI will help us derive insights from that data more effectively.”

AI-enabled edge computing is already being used in industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics, where real-time data analysis is critical. As these technologies continue to evolve, they will allow businesses to further optimize their operations, reduce costs, and create more intelligent, autonomous systems.

“Edge computing is at the forefront of the next wave of digital transformation,” says Richards. “As AI and 5G become more integrated, we’ll see edge computing become even more essential to network infrastructure, enabling new innovations across industries.”

Conclusion: Preparing for an Edge-Driven Future

Edge computing is revolutionizing the way enterprises manage their network infrastructure, offering faster data processing, enhanced scalability, and improved security. For CIOs, CTOs, and CEOs, the ability to leverage edge computing is becoming a competitive differentiator, enabling businesses to respond more quickly to emerging trends and technological advancements.

“As the digital landscape continues to evolve, edge computing will play a central role in how enterprises operate,” concludes Harrington. “Those who embrace this technology will be well-positioned to thrive in an increasingly data-driven world.”

The future of enterprise network infrastructure is at the edge—distributed, efficient, and powerful. As edge computing continues to evolve, its impact on businesses across industries will only deepen, making it a critical component of enterprise strategy in 2024 and beyond.

Red Hat announced its Red Hat In-Vehicle Operating System in 2022, collaborating with General Motors to bring Linux to vehicles at the edge. Red Hat outlined the benefits of Linux in vehicles at the time:

Adopting open source software in lieu of proprietary operating systems can introduce an avenue for establishing common standards and fosters an ecosystem of Linux-savvy automotive developers. By utilizing open source software, the automotive industry can help alleviate many of these issues and as a result, modernize their strategies while meeting customers’ present-day needs.

According to the company, its efforts have crossed a major milestone with math library libm.so glibc achieving ISO 26262 ASIL-B functional safety certification from exida.

In collaboration with exida, Red Hat has developed and validated a novel approach to meet the process objectives of many functional safety standards including ISO 26262, overcoming the challenges associated with complex, pre-existing open source software like Linux. This certification demonstrates that the engineering of the math library components individually and as a whole meet or exceed stringent functional safety standards, ensuring substantial reliability and performance for the automotive industry. The certification of the math library is a significant milestone that strengthens the confidence in Linux as a viable platform of choice for safety related automotive applications of the future.

“Red Hat’s collaboration with exida exemplifies the automotive industry’s growing demand for a reimagined, software-centric driving experience that meets the stringent standards of reliability and safety,” said Francis Chow, vice president and general manager, In-Vehicle Operating System and Edge, Red Hat. “Today, we proudly present tangible proof that our innovative approach to delivering a functionally safe certified Linux operating system is effective. Red Hat remains steadfast in its commitment to offering the automotive industry the freedom and flexibility provided by open, SDV-ready solutions. This empowers organizations to choose the best-in-class solutions for their unique needs across every layer of their technology stack.”

“Red Hat is an undisputed leader in open source technologies with unparalleled expertise in Linux and the development, deployment and maintenance of complex software at scale. Since the inception of our collaboration, Red Hat has brought a unique and comprehensive approach that integrates modern software development practices while paving the way for the widespread adoption of open source solutions in automotive safety applications,” added Jonathan Moore, director, advanced systems, exida LLC.. “Their focus on ensuring the safety of both individual components and the operating system as a whole is crucial. This latest achievement brings them even closer to realizing the first continuously-certified in-vehicle Linux– Red Hat In-Vehicle Operating System. Their open source first approach to the organization, culture and thought process is an exemplary superset of what exida regards as a best practice for world-class safety culture. Contrary to many who believe open source is incompatible with safety, exida has found that Red Hat is dedicated to working towards goals aligned to functional safety in ways that benefit everyone.”

“The Intel Edge platform represents a milestone in the realm of AI infrastructure,” Yates remarked. “With its cloud-like simplicity and robust security features, we’re empowering enterprises to harness AI’s full potential with unprecedented ease and confidence.”

A key highlight of the Intel Edge platform is its commitment to security and versatility. Yates underscored the platform’s zero-touch provisioning and zero-trust security features, which provide enterprise users with peace of mind in an increasingly complex digital landscape. “Our goal is to provide enterprise customers with a comprehensive solution that not only meets their AI needs but also ensures the highest level of security,” Yates emphasized.

Furthermore, Intel’s Edge platform offers a robust development environment tailored to developers’ evolving needs. “With support for high-code, low-code, and open Veno AI integration, developers can accelerate the development and deployment of AI applications without extensive refactoring,” Yates explained. “This democratization of AI development promises to unlock new opportunities for innovation and collaboration across industries.”

In addition to its technical capabilities, Intel’s Edge platform boasts a rich ecosystem of industry solutions from trusted partners. Yates emphasized Intel’s commitment to making Edge AI more accessible by leveraging the expertise of its ecosystem partners. “By collaborating with our partners, we’re empowering businesses of all sizes to harness the full potential of AI technology,” Yates concluded.

As John Yates concluded his presentation, the message was clear: Intel’s Edge platform represents a paradigm shift in enterprise AI solutions. With its blend of innovation, security, and versatility, the platform stands poised to redefine how businesses leverage AI to drive growth and innovation in the digital age.

The car transportation services industry is constantly changing.

Innovation 

Central to A1’s innovative streak is the integration of advanced GPS tracking systems. Such technology ensures that customers can monitor their vehicle’s journey with real-time updates. This transparency alleviates the stress of uncertainty that car owners often feel when their vehicles are in transit. GPS technology, moreover, assists A1 in optimizing routes. By analyzing traffic patterns and road conditions, A1 can adjust the routes in real-time, ensuring that vehicles are delivered efficiently, reducing fuel consumption and improving delivery times.

Furthermore, A1 Auto Transport has embraced the power of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline their operations. AI algorithms analyze vast amounts of data to predict fluctuations in demand and identify the most cost-effective transport solutions. This predictive analysis enables A1 to mobilize its fleet more effectively, ensuring that trucks are fully utilized, reducing the number of empty miles driven, and consequently minimizing the carbon footprint of each transport.

Pioneering spirit 

The company’s pioneering spirit is also reflected in its customer service approach. Utilizing chatbots and AI-driven customer service platforms, A1 offers 24/7 assistance, ensuring that customers have access to information and support whenever needed. These platforms can handle a multitude of customer inquiries simultaneously, from providing quotes to addressing post-service feedback, thereby significantly enhancing customer experience.

The use of blockchain technology for transaction management and documentation has set A1 apart as well. This innovative step guarantees the integrity of the transaction records, making the entire process from booking to delivery seamless, secure, and transparent. Blockchain’s immutable ledger means that all parties can trust in the accuracy of the records and histories of the transported vehicles.

A1’s commitment to innovation is also seen in its approach to fleet maintenance. With the implementation of Internet of Things (IoT) sensors on their carriers, A1 can monitor the health of their fleet in real-time. This proactive maintenance can predict when a vehicle may need service before a breakdown occurs, ensuring reliability and avoiding delays.

Moreover, A1 has not ignored the shift towards sustainability. The company is at the forefront of incorporating electric and hybrid vehicles into its fleet. This move not only prepares A1 for an inevitable future where such vehicles will dominate the market but also signals to consumers and industry peers alike their commitment to eco-friendly business practices.

Conclusion 

A1’s innovative approach demonstrates a visionary understanding of the symbiosis between technology and customer service. Their pioneering use of GPS tracking, AI, automation, blockchain, IoT, and green technology is more than a mere business strategy; it’s a comprehensive transformation of the auto shipping paradigm. It is these strides in innovation that promise to keep A1 Auto Transport at the vanguard of the industry, delivering not just vehicles, but trust, reliability, and unparalleled service excellence.

This can result in a number of benefits that improve reliability:

1. Reduced network congestion: By processing data locally, edge computing reduces the amount of data that needs to be transmitted over the network, which can help reduce congestion and improve overall network performance.
2. Improved fault tolerance: Edge computing allows for distributed processing and storage, which can help ensure that data is still accessible even if one or more devices fail.
3. Reduced latency: By processing data locally, edge computing can reduce the amount of time it takes for data to be processed, which can improve the responsiveness of applications and services.
4. Increased availability: Edge computing can provide local processing capabilities even when the network is unavailable, allowing for the continuity of services and reducing the risk of downtime.
5. Better security: Edge computing can provide a more secure environment for data processing, as it allows for more granular security measures, such as device-level authentication, to be implemented and also reduces the risk of data breaches and hacking attempts as the data is not as easily accessible to potential attackers.

By providing these benefits, edge computing can help ensure that applications and services are more reliable and available to users.

The reliability of edge computing will depend on a number of factors, such as the type of devices and gateways used, the software and infrastructure that support it, and the way it’s implemented and maintained. However, it is widely acknowledged that edge computing can improve the reliability of systems by distributing processing and storage closer to the source, reducing network congestion, improving fault tolerance, and increasing availability.

It’s worth noting that edge computing is still a relatively new technology and many organizations are still in the process of exploring how best to implement it.

Leopeva64, who has a track record as a reliable leaker, discovered the new feature and posted about it on X:

Edge will help you “declutter” your sidebar

Leopeva64 (@Leopeva64) — October 9, 2023

Edge for Business is a specifically designed version of Microsoft’s web browser that gives admins the ability to maintain control and keep their organizations secure. The browser is also designed to help users segregate their personal and work browsing.

The company described the browser’s features in a documentation post:

Microsoft Edge for Business aims to address the needs of both end users and IT Pros as the browser that automatically separates work and personal browsing into dedicated browser windows with their own favorites, separate caches and storage locations. This separation ensures that work related content doesn’t get intermingled with personal browsing, preventing cognitive overload or end users from accidentally sharing sensitive information with unintended audiences. Microsoft Edge for Business is going to be the standard browser experience for organizations, activated by an Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) login, upon general availability.

Microsoft has designed Edge for Business to make the transition between profiles as smooth and seamless as possible.

The Enterprise personal browser is designed to keep work and personal browsing separate for the end users via the new Automatic Switching mechanism. When the device has an existing MSA profile or creates a new one, it enables automatic switching to enforce the browsing context separation. We continue to update our automatic switching logic to support more sites.

Another thing to note, when Microsoft Edge for Business is available, the personal browser profile is lightly managed, without requiring additional configuration. The personal browser profile will automatically inherit only the following policy categories:

• Security Policies (e.g., Application Guard, Enhanced Security Mode, and others)
• Data Compliance Policies (e.g., Microsoft Purview DLP, Microsoft Insider Risk Management)
• Microsoft Edge Update Policies (e.g., Enforcing Edge Update Rules)

Users can learn more in the video below:

Web browsers identify themselves to websites via User Agent or Client Hints features. With the majority of browsers based on the engines used by Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Apple Safari — all of which are standards-compliant — all websites should work with all browsers.

Unfortunately, many web developers take the lazy way out and code their website to only work if it detects the browser of their choice. Other companies take such action specifically to promote the browser of their choice at the expense of the overall health of the web and web browser markets.

Vivaldi has already had to change its user agent to masquerade as Google Chrome since some websites would not work with it otherwise — despite it using the exact same engine that Google Chrome uses.

According to co-founder and CEO Jon von Tetzchner, the company is once again making an adjustment to its user agent, this time to help users access Bing Chat.

There are people who would like to try Bing Chat but have been unable to do so as they would need to use Microsoft Edge for that. Now, we have taken additional steps to ensure that you get to use Bing Chat.

Vivaldi masquerades as Microsoft Edge when visiting Bing. This means that you can access Bing Chat on your phone when using Vivaldi.

Read More: Welcome to 2001 As Microsoft Returns to Old Habits to Push Edge

To be clear, Microsoft Edge uses the same engine as Google Chrome, just as Vivaldi does. As a result, there is absolutely no excuse or valid technical reason for Bing Chat not to work with Vivaldi by default. The fact that configuring Vivaldi to simply masquerade as Edge allows it to work is proof of this.

Unfortunately, this is simply the latest example of how the web is increasingly returning to the bad practices that defined the browser wars between Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator. In those early days of the web, before web standards created a level playing field, web developers would code their websites to take advantage of special features offered by the browser of their choice, locking users into using that specific browser if they wanted access to all of the site’s features.

Today’s modern web standards are designed to eliminate this issue, ensuring all browsers are able to provide the same fundamental features and abilities. Unfortunately, companies like Microsoft are trying to artificially create customer lock-in by “requiring” their browser be used, even when it’s not really necessary.

This is simply the latest example of Microsoft returning to its roots, resorting to strong-arm tactics to push its own software. Kudos to Vivaldi for putting its customers first, taking a step that should not be necessary to give its customers the experience they want.

Nod.ai creates compiler-based automation solutions that are used by startups, enterprises, and hyperscalers. The company’s software makes it possible to deploy AI models across a broad range of applications and scenarios.

“The acquisition of Nod.ai is expected to significantly enhance our ability to provide AI customers with open software that allows them to easily deploy highly performant AI models tuned for AMD hardware,” said Vamsi Boppana, senior vice president, Artificial Intelligence Group at AMD. “The addition of the talented Nod.ai team accelerates our ability to advance open-source compiler technology and enable portable, high-performance AI solutions across the AMD product portfolio. Nod.ai’s technologies are already widely deployed in the cloud, at the edge and across a broad range of end point devices today.”

“At Nod.ai, we are a team of engineers focused on problem solving — quickly – and moving at pace in an industry of constant change to develop solutions for the next set of problems,” said Anush Elangovan, co-founder and CEO, Nod.ai. “Our journey as a company has cemented our role as the primary maintainer and major contributor to some of the world’s most important AI repositories, including SHARK, Torch-MLIR and OpenXLA/IREE code generation technology. By joining forces with AMD, we will bring this expertise to a broader range of customers on a global scale.”

The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Microsoft described the feature in its Microsoft 365 Roadmap:

Searching for a word or phrase on a webpage has become easier with AI. Even if you misspell a word in your search query, we’ll suggest related matches and words making it effortless to find what you’re looking for. When you search, simply select the suggested link to quickly locate the desired word or phrase.

The feature was first announced in October 2022, but the feature is now rolling out to all users.

The next generation wireless tech is already revolutionizing multiple industries and making edge computing a viable option for many companies. With high speeds and low latency, 5G is competitive with the fastest broadband available.

General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) has formed a coalition with like-minded companies in an effort to further the adoption of 5G and edge computing.

“We share a common vision of how 5G, edge and advanced wireless technologies can transform government operations,” said Ben Gianni, GDIT’s senior vice president and chief technology officer. “Forming this coalition will help us bring our collective strengths together to provide technical differentiation and the most beneficial solutions for our government customers.”

GDIT will focus on designing and deploying secure 5G solutions with its partners, while each member of the coalition will leverage its specialties. AWS brings its cloud infrastructure to the table, T-Mobile will provide the network bandwidth, Cisco will provide 5G and mobile edge computing solutions, Splunk will handle cybersecurity automation, and Dell will leverage its open infrastructure, edge computing, and AI abilities..

“As part of this new coalition, we can collaborate with other technology, telecommunications and government leaders to help power an inclusive future,” said Carl DeGroote, vice president of federal sales, Cisco. “We’re excited to apply our 5G core and mobile edge compute expertise to accelerate the adoption of 5G and help advance wireless and edge technologies across government agencies.”

The cloud computing market is experiencing major growth, due in no small part to the pandemic and the rise of hybrid work. All three of the top providers are experiencing major growth, with no signs of it slowing down. According to McDermott, cloud computing’s success is because of its “pervasive” and transformative nature.

“It simplifies everything. Everything’s on the mobile. Everything’s beautiful and easy to use,” McDermott told Yahoo Finance.

“It’s one platform that can single thread business across an entire enterprise, all functions of the business. So, it is a great unifier in a sense, because some people have very powerful Chief Information Officers, others have Chief Digital Officers, others have Chief People officers, others have these wonderful data managers,” McDermott added. “But to have one platform, that single thread, all of those powerful relationships to deliver great experiences is super exciting to us.”

While the economic downturn has many companies hedging their bets and cutting costs, McDermott believes the cloud computing market can continue growing, buoyed by companies’ digital first strategies.

“Ninety-five percent of CEOs have a digital first strategy. So, they’re leaning in to digital transformation. Because it’s the only way out. On one hand, it’s software as the great deflationary force,” McDermott said. “On another hand, if you can’t transform and recreate your business model, and innovate digitally, you lose the game. So, CEOs are very well aware of this. So, that tailwind is super strong.”

McDermott’s predictions are good news for the cloud market and underscore the opportunities available to cloud providers.

Verizon and AWS announced a partnership in late 2019, aimed at bringing AWS’ cloud platform together with Verizon’s 5G network. The two companies planned to leverage their respective platforms to make mobile edge computing available to their customers, an area where 5G is expected to revolutionize the industry.

The two companies first delivered on their partnership in April 2020, combining AWS Wavelength with Verizon’s 5G Edge in Boston and the Bay Area. In the time since, the companies have continued rolling out their solution around the country.

Today, Verizon and AWS announced they have now rolled out Verizon 5G Edge with AWS Wavelength to Charlotte, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis. 

“Through our continued collaboration with AWS, we’re helping developers and businesses in every industry create truly transformational applications for use cases such as immersive VR gaming, video distribution, and connected and autonomous vehicles,” said Tami Erwin, CEO of Verizon Business. “By expanding our 5G Edge locations across the U.S., we’re enabling developers to quickly and easily build apps and services that take advantage of the low latency, massive bandwidth and strong reliability of 5G and edge computing.”

“Customers that want to build ultra-low latency applications need access to compute, storage, and advanced cloud services at the edge of the 5G network. They tell us that broad coverage is very important to ensure consistent application experiences, wherever their end-users may be, said George Elissaios, general manager of AWS Wavelength and Director of Product Management, AWS. “With the continued and rapid expansion of AWS Wavelength Zones across the US and around the world, we are delivering on that, while also broadening access to advanced 5G and edge capabilities to every AWS customer, small or large. We’re excited to see the innovation that customers like Easy Ariel and Fermata Energy bring with novel applications that transform consumers’ experiences by leveraging AWS Wavelength on Verizon 5G Edge.”

Edge computing is one of the areas 5G is poised to have a major impact on. Thanks to the speed of 5G, devices will be able to process data more efficiently, in real-time. This will help power a new generation of autonomous vehicles, robotics, factory automation, and more.

Verizon and Google Cloud are working together to combine Google’s compute and storage services with Verizon’s On Site 5G and 5G Edge services.

“By working with partners like Google Cloud and Ericsson, we’re building the 5G edge compute ecosystem that will enable enterprises in many industries to benefit from having a completely dedicated private network and edge compute infrastructure on premise,” said Rima Qureshi, Chief Strategy Officer at Verizon. “5G Edge with Google Distributed Cloud Edge will give our customers the ability to connect and manage a broad range of devices at scale and speed while also providing highly secure, near real-time connectivity. This will allow companies to unlock greater value from data and enable innovative applications involving computer vision, augmented and virtual reality, and machine learning.” 

“Through our planet-scale infrastructure and expertise in data analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning, Google Cloud is enabling the rapid development and deployment of new services and applications,” said Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud. “By bringing intelligence from data centers to the network edge, Verizon 5G Edge with Google Distributed Cloud Edge will allow customers to build new cross-industry edge solutions, unlock new revenue models, and transform the next generation of customer experiences – from AI-driven in-store operations to live inventory management on the factory floor, the possibilities span multiple industries.”

According to Ars Technica, researchers at Qihoo 360 discovered a new botnet that is targeting the EdgeMarc Enterprise Session Border Controller. The device is commonly used by small to medium-sized enterprises on AT&T’s network.

“However, during this brief observation, we confirmed that the attacked devices were EdgeMarc Enterprise Session Border Controller, belonging to the telecom company AT&T, and that all 5.7k active victims that we saw during the short time window were all geographically located in the US,” wrote Qihoo 360’s Alex Turing and Hui Wang.

The vulnerability traces back to 2017 when a researcher discovered a way to attack the devices using an on-device account that used “root” and “default” as the username and password. Despite being discovered years ago, Ars says it’s unclear if AT&T ever notified customers of the vulnerability.

A patch was released 19 months later, in December 2018. Because the patch required manual installation, however, it’s a safe bet many companies never installed the fix.

Qihoo 360’s researchers have already found more than 100,000 devices using the same TLS certificate as infected devices. This may indicate the vulnerability is far more widespread than just the confirmed victims.

“We are not sure how many devices corresponding to these IPs could be infected, but we can speculate that as they belong to the same class of devices the possible impact is real,” the researchers added.

5G stands poised to revolutionize numerous industries, not the least of which is the financial sector. Like most carriers, Verizon has been moving ahead at full-speed in its efforts to deploy its 5G network.

The two companies plan to use 5G to help “drive transformational solutions for the global payments and commerce ecosystem.” The next-gen wireless technology will help revolutionize new areas of the commerce industry, including contactless payments and autonomous checkout.

In particular, the two companies’ efforts will help advance the use of smartphones for making and accepting payments, providing touchless retail experiences, VR/AR shopping and creating new ways to consume digital content.

“Business needs and consumer demands constantly fluctuate. Critical components of long-term success are the ability to remain agile and align with strategic financial and payments partners that have the tools and capabilities to drive industries forward,” said Sampath Sowmyanarayan, CRO, Verizon Business. “Coupling Verizon’s leading global IP network and transformative 5G technology with Mastercard’s deep industry expertise, leading services and solutions, and a strong commitment to innovate, is a partnership that aligns perfectly with what we are striving to achieve at Verizon and one that can create game-changing solutions.”

5G promises to revolutionize a slew of industries, offering speeds that rival or surpasses traditional broadband. Thanks to being wireless, the technology promises to have a profound impact on edge computing, artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles and more.

Unfortunately, one of the trade-offs may be more accurate weather forecasts, according to Scientific American. The issue revolves around spectrum in the 24 Ghz band, spectrum weather satellites rely on to monitor the natural microwave signals that atmospheric water vapor produces.

“It is one of those things that are a gift of nature,” said William Mahoney III, associate director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. “A third of the current forecasting skill comes from this data,” adding the data can “make the difference between a blue sky day and a tornado day.”

Unfortunately, 5G signals in that spectrum range can drown out the water vapor signals.

“If you have a large network of cellphone towers transmitting many orders of magnitude more power near the ground, some of that reflects upward and parts of the atmosphere will become very noisy,” Mahoney said.

The results could be disastrous, severely inhibiting meteorologists ability to accurately forecast the weather, including warning people of severe weather events.

Similarly, the 16 MHz spectrum is used to connect satellites to automated gauges that measure a variety of factors, including wind speeds and water levels in rivers and streams. Here again, there is concern that noise from wireless technology could interfere with those signals.

No one is really sure what happens next. The US, and the entire world, is already heavily invested in deploying 5G. It’s unlikely any kind of moratorium will be put in place, leaving scientists and researchers with the tall task of finding a solution.

Verizon is working hard to migrate its customer base to 5G, with its biggest “5G upgrade campaign ever.”

Like carriers around the world, Verizon is rushing to deploy its 5G network, and working to convince customers to switch over. In addition to the benefits to consumers, in the form of higher speeds and lower latency, 5G has significant benefits to carriers.

The improved architecture of 5G networks allows carriers to better deal with usage spikes, and the spectrum is better future-proofed to account for growth. The faster speeds also put carriers in the position to better compete with traditional internet service providers, as well as be the go-to solution for edge computing solutions.

Of course, in order to benefit from 5G, carriers need to convince users to make the switch. Verizon is pulling out all the stops to do just that.

Starting today, every customer —new and existing, consumers and businesses — can trade in an old phone and get a 5G phone on Verizon. That includes trading in a cracked or broken phone. Verizon will even help cover the cost of switching for new customers.

The upgrade event promises to be a major event for the carrier, and a good deal for customers.

Google is partnering with SpaceX to provide cloud and internet services, in combination with the latter’s Starlink satellite internet.

Starlink is a constellation of satellites SpaceX is deploying to provide internet access. Unlike old-school satellite internet, Starlink satellites are in low-Earth orbit, offering speeds and latency that are comparable with Earth-bound broadband. As part of the equation, SpaceX ground stations relay the internet signal from the satellites to the end-user.

As part of the deal between the two companies, SpaceX’s ground stations will be placed in Google data centers. This will give SpaceX access to Google’s high-capacity private network, a big boost for corporate and enterprise customers. The arrangement will especially benefit companies that rely on edge computing, or those in rural areas that need access to cloud services.

“Applications and services running in the cloud can be transformative for organizations, whether they’re operating in a highly networked or remote environment,” said Urs Hölzle, Senior Vice President, Infrastructure at Google Cloud. “We are delighted to partner with SpaceX to ensure that organizations with distributed footprints have seamless, secure, and fast access to the critical applications and services they need to keep their teams up and running.”

“Combining Starlink’s high-speed, low-latency broadband with Google’s infrastructure and capabilities provides global organizations with the secure and fast connection that modern organizations expect,” said SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell. “We are proud to work with Google to deliver this access to businesses, public sector organizations, and many other groups operating around the world.”

Customers will begin benefiting from the partnership in the second half of 2021.

Verizon and Honda are working together, in cooperation with the University of Michigan’s Mcity, to improve road safety with the help of 5G.

Honda has been on the forefront of autonomous vehicle research, recently releasing the world’s first Level 3 autonomous car. The company is working with Verizon to see if 5G and mobile edge computing (MEC) can improve road safety, while reducing the need for onboard AI processing.

The goal is to use 5G and MEC to help vehicles better communicate with other vehicles, road infrastructure and pedestrians to better avoid collisions. For example, if a pedestrian is crossing the road, but obscured from view by a building or parked vehicle, smart intersection cameras could alert oncoming drivers of the danger.

“Honda’s research collaboration with Verizon is an important step in our multi-year effort to develop connected vehicle safety technology to realize our vision for a collision-free society,” said Ehsan Moradi Pari, Ph.D, research group lead at Honda’s Advanced Technology Research Division. “While the research is preliminary and not intended as a product feature at this time, 5G-enabled vehicle communication and MEC have the potential to advance safety for everyone sharing the road.”

“The ability to move computing power to the edge of our 5G network is an essential building block for autonomous and connected vehicles, helping cars to communicate with each other in near real-time and with sensors and cameras installed in streets and traffic lights,” said Sanyogita Shamsunder, vice president of Technology Development and 5G Labs at Verizon. “When you consider that roughly 42,000 people were killed in car accidents last year and 94% of accidents are caused by human error, our new technologies including 5G and MEC can help drivers ‘see’ things before the human eye can register and react helping to prevent collisions and save lives.”

The collaboration is further evidence of the far-reaching impact 5G, AI and edge computing will have on a wide range of industries.