AT&T’s recent moves in the network cloud infrastructure space will likely impact its mobile edge computing strategy and outlook. 

In the span of a week, AT&T sold off and gave up control of multiple pieces of technology that are central to its 5G infrastructure, shared plans to move its 5G network core and services to Microsoft Azure, and elevated its mobile edge compute offering with Google Cloud. 

The operator, a longtime proponent of software-controlled infrastructure and cloud-based services, isn’t giving up on its modernized network infrastructure vision, but it is pulling away from internal or AT&T-led development.

AT&T Network Edge remains intact, however, and how that system evolves or potentially changes hands like its cloud technology will impact AT&T’s points of access and opportunity at the edge. Gauging where AT&T and the edge intersect, and where the two might be heading, requires a clear understanding of what the edge means for the operator.

“We view the edge as any place that application traffic is needed and most effective. That could be in the cloud, the edge of our network, or on-premises,” Lourdes Charles, assistant VP of marketing at AT&T Business, wrote in response to questions. 

“Our goal is to create net-new business services and customer experiences through on-premises and network-based edge computing,” she explained. “AT&T multi-access edge compute gives flexibility in how businesses manage their cellular traffic through on-premise hardware and software. It uses our own software-defined network to enable faster access to data processing, letting businesses process low-latency, high-bandwidth applications closer to where they’re used to create new outcomes and capabilities.”

Charles claims “AT&T was the first carrier to launch on-premise edge computing, providing enhanced privacy, security and performance with local cellular breakout while at the same time having flexibility to establish policies to allow access to another edge cloud as needed.” 

Enterprises can run AT&T’s mobile edge computing service in a pure cloud environment on IBM, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure.

“AT&T Network Edge brings public cloud services to the edge of our network, and connects customers to cloud data centers in targeted metro zones around the country through our LTE, 5G, and wireline networks,” she said. “We work with cloud service providers to provide the right services through our network to bring compute power, lower latency, and optimized network routing without dedicated on-premises hardware.”

That offering will be available on a Google Cloud zone in Chicago later this year, and the operator has an early adopter program for Microsoft Azure customers to use the service in the Los Angeles area. “We can work with cloud solution providers depending on customer’s preferences and infrastructure,” Charles said, adding that “AT&T will work with select cloud providers on a case-by-case basis for different needs.”