With the goal of being the U.S. leader in connected cars and IoT, AT&T has deployed 10 5G “edge compute zones,” with two more planned before the end of the year, according to Mike Troiano, SVP of Product & Pricing for AT&T Business. These network edge zones are part of the infrastructure that the carrier has deployed to support a more connected transportation ecosystem. The zones combine 5G standalone cores with other technologies to bring network services closer to drivers, allowing for the faster response times needed for assisted driving and hazard avoidance.
“Our goal here is to deliver customizable network services based on different use cases,” said Troiano. “For example, a fast response time is more important for a self-driving tractor or driverless crane than it is for a device streaming video in the backseat of a car. In the case of infotainment and over-the-air vehicle software updates, bandwidth is more important.”
These specialized networks that provide connected vehicle services require relationships with automakers and coverage spanning the roadways, according to Troiano. “We have relationships with dozens of automakers, connect more vehicles in the U.S. than any other wireless provider, and cover more highways and roads than any other carrier.”
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