In Partnership with Korean Telecom Equipment Makers
SK Telecom is seeking to preempt the global market for 5G mobile edge computing (MEC) in partnership with Korean 5G telecommunication equipment manufacturers HFR and NTELS.
5G MEC technology is designed to provide hyper-low-latency communication to users by deploying small data centers at base stations that are located closest to them. As major countries around the world have begun commercializing private 5G networks, 5G MEC is garnering attention as it boosts the connectivity and security of 5G networks.
Currently, manufacturing companies and public institutions in the United States, Japan, and Germany are utilizing private 5G networks to upgrade such industries as smart factories, robots, and drones. Analysts predict that global private 5G network market will reach US$4.6 billion by 2025. Recently, the number of work sites that are expected to establish private 5G networks is estimated at about 14.5 million worldwide.
SK Telecom, HFR and NTELS are planning to carry out a B2B project that provides customized 5G MEC solutions to foreign companies and public institutions that are operating or will introduce private 5G networks. For example, if manufacturers that have been assigned 5G network frequencies to build smart factories are going through difficulties in establishing telecommunication infrastructure, SK Telecom-CHF-ENTELS will design and build 5G MEC equipment and software for factory systems and even provide maintenance services in the future.
They will not only supply technology through the All-in-One Edge Solution which combines so-called remote network interworking and edge computing functions but also help companies with no experience in building and running telecommunication networks with the introduction of 5G networks and 5G MEC services at the same time.
SK Telecom will be in charge of developing new 5G MEC products and orchestrate the business. HFR will realize global network connections and operate overseas sales channels, while NTELS will cover the development of a 5G MEC platform, service maintenance and customer support.
SK Telecom is expanding cooperation with foreign tech giants based on a 5G MEC platform preemptively developed. In Korea, it is building hybrid MEC cloud platforms with cloud computing companies such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft. It is also operating "Telecom Edge Cloud TF" along with nine global telecommunication companies such as Deutsche Telecom, Singtel, and NTT DoCoMo, while leading a 5G MEC technology cooperation project within Bridge Alliance, the largest telecommunication alliance of telecommunication carriers in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
HFR is selling 5G network communication equipment to customers around the world. It is also operating large overseas sales channels to supply 5G telecommunication equipment to Verizon, AT&T, and NTT DoCoMo through overseas branches in the United States and Japan.
NTELS is recognized for its technological prowess by supplying 5G solutions to foreign telecommunication companies such as AT&T, Celcom, and M1. Recently, it developed 5G solutions for smart factories and smart buildings and provided them to customers at home and abroad.