SK Telecom teams up with HPE for edge computing

Representatives from SK Telecom and Hewlett-Packard Enterprise pose after signing an agreement to collaborate on mobile edge computing on Tuesday at the headquarters of SK Telecom in central Seoul. [SK TELECOM]

SK Telecom will partner with Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE), a San Jose, California-based information technology company, to provide mobile edge computing to telecom operators abroad.

In an agreement signed on Tuesday, the mobile carrier will form a consortium with the Asia Pacific and Korean units of HPE to sell software and hardware needed for 5G mobile edge computing.

Mobile edge computing, also known as multi-access edge computing, refers to technologies that bring computation capabilities and data storage closer to devices being used. It is considered a critical in reducing 5G latency.

SK Telecom will be responsible for supplying software tools and expertise, while HPE will offer infrastructure and maintenance service.

The target markets will be in Southeast Asia, with the two companies already in talks with communications service providers in Thailand and Malaysia prior to the formal creation of the consortium. Later, they will target telecom companies from Europe and the United States.

The collaboration is the latest in a series of partnerships centered on the implementation of the computing technology with major industry players including Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft.

SK Telecom expects the collaboration to expedite innovation in a wide range of areas.

“[The consortium] could help in the export of advanced digital content — such as immersive contents and cloud-based gaming — made in Korea,” said Ha Hyoung-il, vice president and head of Corporate Center 2 at SK Telecom in a statement.

“[SK Telecom] will keep focusing on forming an ecosystem conducive to the productivity of the 5G industry,” he said.

BY PARK EUN-JEE [park.eunjee@joongang.co.kr]