AWS and Verizon have launched a new way for businesses and developers to build and deploy 5G-based applications to several US cities.
The partnership will enable developers using Verizon 5G Edge with AWS Wavelength to deploy applications that require ultra-low latency and responsiveness that 5G offers.
The eight US cities launching the new mobile edge computing (MEC) capabilities include Atlanta, Georgia; the San Francisco Bay Area; Boston, Massachusetts; Dallas, Texas; Las Vegas, Nevada; Miami, Florida; New York, New York; and Washington, DC. There are plans to add two more cities by the end of 2020.
AWS Wavelength is a platform optimized for MEC applications. Wavelength Zones are AWS infrastructure deployments that embed AWS compute and storage services within communications service providers’ (CSP) datacenters at the edge of the 5G network, so application traffic from 5G devices can reach application servers running in Wavelength Zones without leaving the telecommunications network.
AWS said that this avoids the latency that would result from application traffic traversing multiple hops across the internet to reach its destination, enabling customers to take full advantage of modern 5G networks’ latency and bandwidth benefits.
The companies said in a statement that developers can build and deliver “enhanced experiences and serve performance-critical use cases that take advantage of storage and processing power closer to 5G mobile users.”
“By leveraging the powerful combination of Verizon 5G Edge and AWS Wavelength, developers can deliver a wide range of transformative, latency-sensitive use cases like automated robotic systems in manufacturing facilities and smart cars and cities,” said Tami Erwin, CEO of Verizon Business.
“We already have customers today creating exciting new applications in industries ranging from healthcare to sports and we can’t wait to see the next game-changing app that will be built on 5G and MEC.”
Businesses can start developing products and services using the technology by extending their Amazon virtual private cloud (VPC) to one or more Wavelength Zones and then use AWS resources to build, run, secure, manage, and scale applications.
Developers can connect to the Verizon 5G network using a new VPC gateway called Carrier Gateway. This enables them to attach Verizon-provided public IP addresses to Amazon Elastic Compute CloudT (Amazon EC2) instances.
