Exploring the capabilities of edge computing, Verizon is appealing to developers’ needs for versatility, reliability and functionality.

“If you think about our mobile edge computing portfolio in Verizon 5G Edge, suddenly the developer is a more important persona than ever for adopting the cloud and the mobile edge,” said Robert Belson (pictured), principal engineer, corporate strategy, at Verizon Communications Inc. “So how do we go after developers and tell stories that ultimately resonate with them?”

Belson spoke with industry analysts Dave Vellante and Paul Gillin during the Red Hat Summit event, an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. They discussed multi-access or mobile edge computing, known as MEC; education of developers; and customer response to new offerings. (* Disclosure below.)

Edge, education and customer enthusiasm guide Verizon offerings

Verizon’s MEC portfolio started with 5G Edge and AWS Wavelength, 5G edge computing infrastructure. Then it expanded into public and private networks. Today’s service is aimed at choosing the right edge for specific needs.

“You think about the future of autonomous mobile robots, like ground and aerial robotics. Well, you want to make those devices as cheap as possible, but you don’t want to compromise on performance. And that mobile edge layer is going to become so critical for that connectivity but also the compute itself,” Belson said.

Developers who are building new apps on Verizon’s architecture span a variety of personas. The 2021 5G Edge Computing Challenge brought out 100 submissions from over 20 countries. Focusing on education of developers, this learning is part of the 5G Edge portfolio.

“It was so exciting to see [the entries] because of so many different use cases across public safety, healthcare, media and entertainment. And education is so important. A lot of developers have great ideas, but if you don’t understand the fundamentals of the infrastructure, you get bogged down in networking and setting up your environment,” Belson said.

Verizon’s platform supports Wavelength and Outposts, both AWS products, and works backward from customer needs. The developer community has embraced these new functionalities.

“When others are evangelizing the power of your technology on your behalf, that’s when the ecosystem’s starting to pick up,” Belson said.

Here’s the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of the Red Hat Summit event:

(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for Red Hat Summit. Neither Red Hat Inc., the sponsor for theCUBE’s event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE