Google Cloud announced plans earlier this year to invest heavily in its telecommunications strategy and, to that end, it took a step forward on Tuesday with a new initiative that takes advantage of 5G and edge computing.
5G is the next-generation, superfast wireless technology, while edge computing brings computing power closer to the people and objects — connected devices, sensors, cell phones — that need it, with the goal of making processes, like analytics or AI, lower latency and cheaper. For example, a retailer might want to take advantage of edge computing to build an application that could measure foot traffic using connected surveillance cameras.
Google Cloud is working with over 30 launch partners to run over 200 edge computing applications using Google Cloud's network and its product Anthos, it announced Tuesday. Anthos — which allows customers to run their applications not only on Google Cloud, but also on their private data centers and other cloud platforms — gives customers "tremendous flexibility," managing director of telecom industry solutions at Google Cloud, Amol Phadke, told Business Insider. "It really becomes the backbone."
Google Cloud will work with partners in various industries like manufacturing, media, retail, and technology to launch these applications. For example, it's working with Siemens Advanta to build applications for connected devices in the manufacturing industry and Palo Alto Networks to build security products for 5G networks.
"It makes sense to take all our innovation, put that as part of a partner-led ecosystem, and ultimately help better experiences," Phadke said. "That's why we are investing in these kinds of industries."
Partnering with telecommunications partners and using 5G technology allows Google Cloud to better provide customers with better edge computing capabilities, Phadke says. These partnerships allow customers to be able to choose to use 5G capabilities from their own private network, from Google's network, or a telecommunications partner's network.
In particular, Google Cloud is focusing on 5G because it can help customers in more traditional sectors, like manufacturing, take advantage of cloud services – even if they still need to use private data centers.
This is just the latest development in what has been a gradually beefing up of Google Cloud's focus on the industry. In March, Google Cloud launched Anthos for Telecom and announced a partnership with AT&T, and it hired a new vice president to focus specifically on the telecommunications, media, and entertainment industries in May. Previously, it has said it has the goal of getting partners involved in 100% of its new deals.
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