5G is sweeping the networking space in the enterprise, and as such, organizations are looking for ways that they can introduce it at their own pace and scale. EdgeQ offers such an option with their 5G base station on-a-Chip, which is the first 5G connectivity chip backed by a SaaS subscription model so you can expand their capabilities as you need it without having to purchase an entirely new chipset as you scale. We had the opportunity to chat with EdgeQ’s co-founder and CEO about this revolutionary model and what capabilities customers can expect from EdgeQ.
The Expansion of 5G Adoption
5G Americas recently reported that 5G adoption is skyrocketing; global wireless 5G connections for Q1 2021 reached 298 million, tripling the number of connections from last year. As more organizations look to incorporate 5G into their networks, they are in need of a way to do so that scales as their 5G use does.
Usually, when a company wants to incorporate 5G into their network operations, they need to identify a chipset that provides the features they need. Oftentimes, however, the initial chips purchased by organizations only provide the requisite capabilities they need at the time. Once they expand their needs, they subsequently need to purchase entirely new 5G chips.
The First 5G as-a-Service Chip
EdgeQ is looking to change this paradigm with their 5G chipset, this is the first hardware/software combination offering 5G feature sets as a service. What does that mean? According to EdgeQ’s founder and CEO, Vinay Ravuri, unlike other 5G chip offerings, which rely on hardware to deliver the 5G features organizations need, their chip hardware is merely a building block.
The “secret sauce,” if you will, of EdgeQ is their software, which is delivered in an à la carte, as-a-Service method to provide organizations with only the features they need. As such, organizations can choose exactly what features they need at the time of introducing 5G into their network, and then expand upon those features as they expand and scale the reach of 5G.
EdgeQ’s Three Tiers of Capabilities
We here at Gestalt IT had the opportunity to sit with Ravuri to discuss EdgeQ’s groundbreaking offering in greater detail. In our conversation, Ravuri shared the three tiers of EdgeQ that are available as-a-Service for organizations looking to personalize their 5G networking approach.
Basic
The initial tier of EdgeQ’s offering comes natively with each of their base station chips. It covers the upfront chip fee and provides the base level of connectivity needed to introduce 5G networking into a system. Each EdgeQ 5G base station on-a-chip comes with the ability to be programmed as needed, but doesn’t include any of EdgeQ’s pre-configured or proprietary feature sets.
Gold
This upgraded version of the base chipset offers more robust features that are activated using subscription keys. These include anything from ultra-low latency to geospatial location services, WAN sharing, and reliability SLAs. Purchasers of the Gold tier have a more configurable experience, opting to include only the features they need to suit the exact specifications of the organization.
Platinum
The pinnacle of EdgeQ 5G-as-a-Service, the Platinum tier offers all of the features made possible by the Gold tier but also includes more proprietary features created by EdgeQ. These allow for the maximum amount of performance and configurability, making the Platinum tier the most robust choice for those looking to go all-in on their 5G connectivity.
Zach’s Reaction
With the ability to slowly introduce 5G to your network or dive in headfirst — whatever you need, choose, and pay for — EdgeQ’s SaaS-backed 5G base station on-a-Chip serves as an ideal way to make 5G a reality in your network. And, with their SaaS-delivered feature set, you can truly use only what you need, achieving all of the requisite functionality while operating at the lowest cost.
Learn more about EdgeQ’s 5G chipset offering by visiting their website. For more exclusive coverage of all things new and noteworthy in enterprise IT tech, be sure to read more here at GestaltIT.com.
