In a move that could redefine the landscape of digital infrastructure and enterprise solutions, American Tower, a global leader in communications real estate, and IBM, a forefront innovator in technology and artificial intelligence, have announced a groundbreaking collaboration. This partnership aims to leverage 5G and AI to drive edge applications across various industries, heralding a new era of innovation and enhanced customer experiences.

Accelerating Deployment of Hybrid, Multi-Cloud Platforms

The collaboration between IBM and American Tower is set to accelerate the deployment of a cutting-edge hybrid, multi-cloud computing platform at the edge. American Tower, with its expansive portfolio of nearly 225,000 wireless and broadcast towers and interconnected U.S. data center facilities, plans to integrate IBM Hybrid Cloud capabilities and Red Hat OpenShift into its Access Edge Data Center ecosystem. This partnership is poised to address customer needs in digital transformation, harnessing technologies such as IoT, 5G, AI, and network automation.

Leveraging Complementary Assets for Customer Value

American Tower’s acquisition of CoreSite in 2021 expanded its footprint in data center facilities, complementing IBM’s expertise in hybrid cloud platforms and automated systems. This synergy aims to create an edge cloud at American Tower’s distributed real estate locations, offering enterprises unprecedented flexibility to deploy applications on public clouds, at the edge, or on-premises.

Empowering Industries with Edge Innovation

This collaboration is expected to bring immense benefits across various industries. For example, in the automotive sector, where connected cars are becoming increasingly prevalent, edge computing capabilities could enable automotive OEMs to transmit software updates rapidly to vehicles. This could significantly optimize efficiency and address challenges related to latency, data sovereignty, security, and compliance.

Transforma Insights on the Rise of Connected Devices

Jim Morrish, Co-founder and Managing Director of Transforma Insights, highlights the growing relevance of connected devices, especially in the automotive industry. By 2032, connected car devices are projected to exceed 1.8 billion, emphasizing the need for efficient and scalable edge computing solutions.

A New Chapter in Edge Computing

As IBM and American Tower embark on this journey, they aim to drive edge computing innovation across industries, unlocking new business opportunities and enhancing operational efficiencies. This collaboration is not just a testament to both companies’ commitment to technological advancement but also a significant step towards the future of edge computing and its applications in the global market.

  5G, American Tower, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, digital transformation, Edge Cloud Services, Edge Computing, hybrid cloud, IBM, IoT, Jim Morrish, Red Hat OpenShift