AT&T and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) partnered on edge computing for businesses in a deal that will combine AT&T multi-access edge compute (MEC) services and HPE’s converged edge systems.

It will target customers in manufacturing, healthcare, and stadiums, said Christina Cheng, associate vice president of product marketing management for AT&T Business. The joint product will use AT&T’s 5G network and SDN as well as the operator’s MEC services. But when asked for more specifics such as what (if any) virtual network functions it will include Cheng said, “we don’t have any more details to share at this time on our offering, but will be sharing more in the future.”

The companies also won’t say when the product will be available.

AT&T MEC Services enable local management of cellular data, which lowers latency and improves the performance of local applications. “Edge computing as a service allows businesses to route application-specific traffic to where they need it and where it’s most effective — whether that’s in the cloud, the edge of our network or on their premises,” Cheng said. “This offering will use AT&T’s software-defined network to enable faster access to data processing and gives flexibility in how businesses manage their cellular traffic through on-premise hardware and software.”

The hardware piece — HPE Edgeline Converged Edge Systems — converges operational technology (OT) such as data acquisition, control systems, and industrial networks with enterprise IT in a rugged form factor that’s designed to withstand shock and harsh edge environments that may be space-constrained or dusty, or subject to extreme temperatures.

“Our go-to-market alliance with AT&T, using HPE Edgeline Converged Edge Systems, will help deliver AT&T MEC services at scale to help our customers more quickly convert data into actionable intelligence, enabling unique digital experiences and smarter operations,” said Jim Jackson, chief marketing officer at HPE, in a statement.

Use cases include basically any business process that is data intensive and requires near real-time processing, Cheng said. “Things like smart manufacturing, machine learning, augmented reality, and connected healthcare are just a few of the use cases for potential big jumps in productivity from edge compute technology.”