In the wake of Reliance Jio’s blockbuster 5G announcement, Bharti Airtel is bringing an edge content delivery network (CDN) to India, using 12 hyperscale data centers and more than 120 edge locations to accelerate web and video content delivery.
Airtel is using Qwilt, which is a cloud-managed open platform that runs on a commodity compute and storage infrastructure. Deployed close to consumers, it creates a distributed Edge Cloud that supports applications such as Open Caching, 4K Live Streaming, AR, VR, Self-Driving Cars and IoT.
Along with improving the streaming quality to its consumer subscribers, Airtel Cloud’s CDN will also be useful in serving vertical markets, including education, gaming and healthcare sectors. Airtel touted its direct relationships with small, medium and large businesses.
“With 5G around the corner, businesses will leverage the low latency, high bandwidth and high device density of the 5G spectrum to solve critical problems using edge computing,” said Ajay Chitkara, Director and CEO, Airtel Business.
Airtel has already begun rolling its edge compute to business customers, recently testing a private network at the Bosch facility in Bengaluru. “This will bring 5G private network and edge computing in a single box with a view to targeting factories, warehouses, ports, and airports who will need low latency and high bandwidth networks, as well as IoT devices to collect and process the data,” Chitkara said.
The demand for edge computing is projected to expand at a CAGR of 30 percent to $69 billion by 2032, according to a recently published report by Fact.MR. “The shift in consumer preference for smart devices and homes drives the demand for edge computing components such as services, software, and edge-managed platforms,” the report reads. “Industrial automation trends that employ artificial intelligence, and machine learning to curb costs and increase production capacities also contribute to growth.”
By J. Sharpe Smith, Inside Towers Technology Editor
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