As operators aim to leverage the combination of 5G and edge computing to increase their enterprise business, there could hardly be a bigger catch than US retail giant Walmart.
Verizon appears to have won the prize, and is reported to be in the first stages of a project to create a hybrid network using private and public 5G connectivity, and Verizon’s edge cloud in locations within and outside Walmart premises.
The deal is not confirmed yet, but would come in the context of a strong track record of hi-tech innovation by Walmart, to bring automation and cost control to its stores and distribution networks, as well as new facilities for customers.
Back in March, the Wall Street Journal reported that the two companies were in talks to test 5G connections in some stores, mainly to support security and stock control applications. So far so conventional for a large retailer, but then other reports pointed to more future-looking services such as medical services like remote consultations and automatic prescription fulfilment.
And recently, executives from data center provider Equinix, according to LightReading, boasted of a new “notable win” with Verizon for an unnamed “premier US retailer” which was “transitioning from on-premise data centers to a hybrid multicloud solution to enhance elasticity and performance”. That was widely understood to be Walmart. Equinix and Verizon have worked closely together on 5G/edge/cloud opportunities since the former acquired Verizon’s own data centers for $3.6bn in 2016.
And last week, speaking in an investor conference hosted by Cowen, Verizon’s chief product development officer, Nicki Palmer, was reported to have name-checked Walmart and a large manufacturer as wins for its new service to build private edge computing locations for specific customers, often on their premises.
Cowen analysts, reporting on their event, said: “In the Walmart case, the MEC [multi-access edge compute]-enabled services include real time healthcare monitoring (for in-store medical treatment) and next-gen cameras for security and stocking shelves.”