KT to form alliance with 5 telcoms on 5G mobile edge computing

SEOUL, Jan. 17 (Yonhap) -- KT Corp., one of South Korea's major mobile carriers, said Friday it will form an alliance with five global telecommunication firms to develop 5G mobile edge computing (MEC) solutions.

KT said it will create the 5G Future Forum with America Movil of Mexico, Rogers Wireless of Canada, Telstra of Australia, Verizon Wireless of the United States and Vodafone of Britain.

The alliance will focus on developing global specifications and standards for 5G MEC interoperability, according to KT.

MEC is a key technology in delivering ultra-low latency data communication in 5G networks that allows companies to offer better services in areas such as smart factories and autonomous driving. It targets minimizing latency by providing a "shortcut" -- which can be completed by installing small-scale data centers at 5G base stations -- for data transmission.

KT said cooperating with major global telecom companies will boost its MEC capability. Last year, the company set up MEC communication centers in eight major cities in South Korea.

kdon@yna.co.kr
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