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Introduction

Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) offers application developers and content providers cloud-computing capabilities and an IT service environment at the edge of the network. This environment is characterized by ultra-low latency and high bandwidth as well as real-time access to radio network information that can be leveraged by applications.

MEC provides a new ecosystem and value chain. Operators can open their Radio Access Network (RAN) edge to authorized third-parties, allowing them to flexibly and rapidly deploy innovative applications and services towards mobile subscribers, enterprises and vertical segments.

Strategic relevance of MEC

MEC is a natural development in the evolution of mobile base stations and the convergence of IT and telecommunications networking. Multi-access Edge Computing will enable new vertical business segments and services for consumers and enterprise customers. Use cases include:

V2X video analytics location services Internet-of-Things (IoT) augmented reality optimized local content distribution and data caching

It uniquely allows software applications to tap into local content and real-time information about local-access network conditions. By deploying various services and caching content at the network edge, Mobile core networks are alleviated of further congestion and can efficiently serve local purposes. It is worth noting that MEC also addresses fixed and WLAN accesses.

MEC industry standards and deployment of MEC platforms will act as enablers for new revenue streams to operators, vendors and third-parties. Differentiation will be enabled through the unique applications deployed in the Edge Cloud.

MEC currently focuses on its ‘Phase 3’ activities that consider a complex heterogeneous cloud ecosystem. This work embraces MEC security enhancements, expanded traditional cloud and NFV Life Cycle Management (LCM) approaches, and mobile or intermittently connected components and consumer-owned cloud resources.

Our Role & Activities

The Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) initiative is an Industry Specification Group (ISG) within ETSI. The purpose of the ISG is to create a standardized, open environment which will allow the efficient and seamless integration of applications from vendors, service providers, and third-parties across multi-vendor Multi-access Edge Computing platforms.

The initiative aims to benefit a number of entities within the value chain, including mobile operators, application developers, Over the Top (OTT) players, Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), telecom equipment vendors, IT platform vendors, system integrators, and technology providers; all of these parties are interested in delivering services based on Multi-access Edge Computing concepts.

The work of the MEC initiative aims to unite the telco and IT-cloud worlds, providing IT and cloud-computing capabilities within the RAN (Radio Access Network). The MEC ISG specifies the elements that are required to enable applications to be hosted in a multi-vendor multi-access edge computing environment.

MEC also enables applications and services to be hosted ‘on top’ of the mobile network elements, i.e. above the network layer. These applications and services can benefit from being in close proximity to the customer and from receiving local radio-network contextual information.

The work of the ISG includes development of normative specifications, as well as informative reports and white papers.

The DECODE Working Group is further focused on easing the implementation path for vendors, operators and application developers by providing SW implementation of APIs; developing a testing and compliance framework and a sandbox environment to be used in application development. All these are being made available through ETSI FORGE and in the case of the MEC sandbox, a dedicated portal.

The group also actively works to help enable and promote the MEC ecosystem by hosting Proof-of-Concept (PoC) and MEC Deployment Trial (MDT) environments as well as supporting and running Hackathons.

Call for active participation

The various players in the value chain are invited to actively participate in the ISG and to contribute to the development of the specifications based on industry consensus. This is important, since it will ensure that the stakeholders are represented in this newly emerging ecosystem. The participants are encouraged to share best practices and demonstrate Proofs of Concepts (PoCs) and contribute to the various tasks of WG DECODE.

Upcoming meetings

MEC have weekly Tech calls each Wednesday, 1 - 3 pm UTC

MEC#38, 11-14 June 2024, in London (UK) and online MEC#39, 9-13 September 2024, city tbc (China) and online MEC#40, 9-13 December 2024, in Athens (GR) and online

MEC DECODE have bi-weekly Tech calls each Thursday, 3:30 to 4:30 pm CET/CEST, plus dedicated sessions during the plenary weeks.

Specifications

A full list of related specifications in the public domain is accessible via the MEC committee page.

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