Equinix has announced the introduction of the first-ever 5G and Edge Technology Development Center, which includes a fully operational, stand-alone 5G network from Nokia to test and validate various 5G services and usage cases.
Equinix says it invests in helping service providers and network operators introduce innovative concepts to the market by providing a flexible manufacturing framework for 5G evaluation, incubation and testing and end-to-end end-to-end secure application solutions.
The new center is located in the Equinix DA11 International Business Exchange (IBX) data center in Dallas. It brings together selected participants in the ecosystem to develop final solutions, providing a ready-to-produce sandstone environment for connection from the radio network to the cloud.
Mobile network operators, cloud platforms, technology providers and enterprises can come together to test, demonstrate and accelerate complex 5G and end scenarios, key activities that Equinix says will make 5G deployment accessible to enterprises in the future. Customers can establish data center-to-data center network connections on demand between any two Equinix Fabric locations within the subway or globally through a software-defined connection.
“As we look to a future where 5G is ubiquitous, the way IP traffic travels across networks around the world will change completely, and interconnected data centers will play a crucial role in this new future dominated by 5G,” he said. Nokia Webscale Business Vice President Sean Hamfill.
“Equinix’s approach to digital infrastructure allows access to a large ecosystem by end users and service providers. Nokia’s IP solutions support Equinix Fabric, providing seamless connectivity between its global data centers.
“We are pleased that Equinix Fabric will bring the power of interconnectivity to help customers test real 5G and end-to-end deployments,” he added.
The 5G and Edge Technology Development Center will initially focus on the following uses:
- Mobile hybrid multi-cloud connectivity
- Cutting a net
- Distributed AI and machine learning
- Augmented and virtual reality
- Games
“Applications and AI are moving to the edge, whether we’re ready or not,” said Exium Chief Operating Officer Farouk Muzafar.
“As businesses embrace digital transformation, automation and edge intelligence, it is crucial to have a partner like Equinix. The 5G and Edge Technology Development Center is an incredible resource for our customers and for us as we incubate, develop and deploy a protective edge. AI services with 5G access. “
The Equinix 2020-21 Global Tech Trends survey, which surveyed 2,600 IT decision-makers, reveals the crucial need to study infrastructure technologies in this area. While most respondents agree that the most significant impact of 5G is the ability it gives businesses to take advantage of new technologies, more than a third are concerned about the need to restructure the infrastructure to take advantage of 5G’s capabilities.
“As companies develop new 5G technologies and services, they need a real environment to test and implement their concepts,” said Equinix Chief Technology Officer Justin Dustzade.
“With Equinix’s ecosystem of service providers, partners and clouds, the 5G and Edge Technology Development Center is the ideal place to fully test concepts in a real-world way, enabling them to present new market opportunities, accelerate adoption and deliver faster new revenue streams. “