AlefEdge, Packet, Federated Gel for Edge First

AlefEdge, Packet, and Federated Wireless combined their efforts on the live deployment of an edge area network in Massachusetts that used data center assets from an unnamed wireless infrastructure provider and the first use of the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum for such a network. AlefEdge, Packet, and Federated Wireless combined their efforts on the live deployment of an edge area network in Massachusetts that used data center assets from an unnamed wireless infrastructure provider and the first use of the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum for such a network. AlefEdge provided its edge software stack to the trial. The stack leverages the company’s recently launched – and boldly named – Manhattan Project that uses the vendor’s Open5G Platform edge software stack that allows network operators and application providers to plug into the platform and deliver applications and services. Packet provided its shared computing infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), which allows the use of bare metal equipment to support edge deployments. Packet late last year struck a deal with cell site tower owner SBA Communications for an edge deployment in the Boston area. That deal was expanded earlier this year through an agreement with storage company ClearSky Data. The most recent live deployment was based in Foxborough, which is about 30 miles outside of Boston. Federated Wireless provided its shared spectrum controller to the deployment, which is needed to manage CBRS spectrum use. The CBRS spectrum bands have been set aside by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) using a shared-use model. The band includes 150 megahertz in total in the 3.5 GHz-3.65 GHz bands, with access controlled through a Spectrum Access System that is being managed by Google, Federated Wireless, and CommScope. A number of carriers and vendors are queuing up to use this spectrum to power private 5G edge networks targeted at enterprise customers. AlefEdge earlier this year commissioned a study by Chetan Sharma Consulting that predicts the edge internet economy will surpass $4.1 trillion by 2030.