Azure and ANE in ATL AT&T and Microsoft are launching the “Private Preview” of Azure Edge Zone in Atlanta to help companies multiply the power of 5G by combining it with cloud computing. By harnessing AT&T Network Edge (ANE) capabilities to the Microsoft Azure cloud platform, businesses large and small will be able to create new, connected applications and services that are both powerful and lightweight. Atlanta is our next location to come online, and we’re already working with a handful of businesses to help them create new experiences for their customers.

Expanding collaboration Microsoft and AT&T have been working together a long time to create and innovate. Most recently, the two companies announced an industry-first collaboration to adopt Microsoft cloud technology for AT&T’s 5G core network workloads. The Azure Edge Zones collaboration brings additional customer benefit, as companies can start creating services such as lightweight and rich virtual reality interfaces for everyone from gamers to first responders. Or hyper-precise location tools that will supercharge industrial and warehouse environments. The edge essentially puts compute capabilities in the air around you, freeing you from physical, wired connections to the CPUs and GPUs that run those applications.

Who is using this? We worked with JamKazam, where low-latency audio and video streaming aids musicians in collaborative efforts online. AT&T’s low-latency solution, using the edge and 5G, delivered meaningful results for the band The Perfect Nines, helping them create virtual jam sessions without the constraints of crowded home wi-fi networks.  Check out this video to learn more. The AT&T 5G Innovation Studio collaborated with Microsoft and EVA to deliver an important advancement for U.S.-based autonomous drones. By creating a unique test environment representative of the Microsoft Azure Edge Zone with AT&T, the low latency of 5G combined with EVA’s app deployed at the network edge with Azure cloud services enabled autonomous drone control beyond visual line of sight. Check out this video to learn more.

What’s next? Microsoft and AT&T invite the next generation of customers, enterprise creators, public sector officials, and first responders to innovate with us in Atlanta, on the site of the Azure Edge Zone. For more background, you can read this post from Jason Zander, executive vice president, Azure R&D, at Microsoft. The post also includes a quote from Andre Fuetsch, chief technology officer, AT&T Network Services.