9:42:00 AM
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DALLAS and REDMOND, Wash. — Nov. 26, 2019 — Microsoft and AT&T are ramping up innovation in the early days of their strategic alliance announced in July.
One area of focus is aimed at enabling new 5G, cloud and edge computing
solutions to drive enterprise capabilities for companies around the
world.
The companies are opening select preview availability for Network
Edge Compute (NEC) technology, which weaves Microsoft Azure cloud
services into AT&T network edge locations closer to customers. This
means AT&T’s software-defined and virtualized 5G core – what the
company calls the Network Cloud – is now capable of delivering Azure
services. NEC will initially be available for a limited set of select
customers in Dallas. Next year, Los Angeles and Atlanta are targeted for
select customer availability.
From making the world’s first
5G millimeter wave browsing session on a commercial 5G device to
groundbreaking commercial installations in healthcare, manufacturing and
entertainment, AT&T has proved itself to be a leader in 5G. The
company recently activated an industry-first 400-gigabit connection
between Dallas and Atlanta to support video, gaming and other 5G needs.
AT&T serves parts of 21 cities with its 5G network using millimeter
wave spectrum (5G+) and plans to offer nationwide 5G in the first half of 2020.
“The first smartphones on 3G networks introduced the idea of mobile
apps over a decade ago. A few years later, 4G LTE made it feasible to
connect those devices faster to cloud applications to stream videos,
hail rides, and broadcast content to the world,” said Mo Katibeh, EVP
and chief marketing officer, AT&T Business. “With our 5G and edge
computing, AT&T is collaborating uniquely with Microsoft to marry
their cloud capabilities with our network to create lower latency
between the device and the cloud that will unlock new, future scenarios
for consumers and businesses. We’ve said all year developers and
businesses will be the early 5G adopters, and this puts both at the
forefront of this revolution.”
This innovation points to a future where high-end augmented reality
glasses are as thin and stylish as a standard pair of eyeglasses,
lightweight drones can track themselves and thousands of nearby
companions in near-real time, and autonomous cars have access to
nearly-instant data processing capabilities without having to install a
mini data center in the trunk.
“We are helping AT&T light up a wide range of unique solutions
powered by Microsoft’s cloud, both for its business and our mutual
customers in a secure and trusted way,” said Corey Sanders, corporate
vice president, Microsoft Solutions. “The collaboration reaches across
AT&T, bringing the hyperscale of Microsoft Azure together with
AT&T’s network to innovate with 5G and edge computing across every
industry.”
5G and edge for gaming, drones, and more
One example of how edge computing can unlock new scenarios and
experiences is in mobile gaming, where gaming company Game Cloud Network
has created a unique 5G game that’s hosted on the network edge with
Microsoft Azure. Game Cloud Network is a pioneer in developing
game-based brand engagement and a customer of AT&T. The company is
now showcasing its new “Tap & Field” game, which utilizes
Microsoft’s Azure PlayFab services. In the game, users race each other
in near-real time via this track-and-field-style game, enabled by the
speed of 5G-connected devices.
“5G gaming provides consumers with the best of both worlds:
highly-immersive experiences on lightweight mobile devices,” said Aaron
Baker, chief executive officer, Game Cloud Network. “AT&T and
Microsoft are building the perfect environment for game developers to
create amazing new possibilities for gamers. 5G and edge computing have
the potential to radically change how we play together and launch new
business opportunities for brands and game publishers.”
Through AT&T Foundry,
AT&T and Microsoft are exploring proofs-of-concept including
augmented and virtual reality scenarios and drones. For example, both
companies continue to work with Israeli startup Vorpal, helping its
VigilAir product track drones in commercial zones, airports, and other
areas with near-instant positioning. The companies also recently demoed
using Microsoft HoloLens to provide 3D schematic overlays for
technicians making repairs to airplanes and other industrial equipment.
Progress toward a “public-cloud first company” and more
Microsoft is also helping AT&T Communications become a
“public-cloud first” company by migrating most non-network workloads to
the public cloud by 2024, and this migration to Azure is already
underway. Another important part of AT&T’s strategy is to empower
much of its workforce with Microsoft 365. This includes cloud-connected
Office apps on Windows 10, and modern collaboration with Microsoft
Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive. AT&T has begun rolling out these
solutions to tens of thousands of employees to help drive a culture of
modern work.
AT&T and Microsoft will have more to share over the coming months
and years as this unique alliance continues to evolve and expand. The
two companies will both create and adopt new technologies to develop
tools, commercial services and consumer applications that benefit
everyone.
