MWC Barcelona—At the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024, Intel announced the launch of a host of new solutions and services that span network and edge AI technologies, including Intel Core Ultra processors and AI PCs, amongst others. The suite of products aims to target a wide range of customer needs across network, edge and enterprise sectors.
Intel said it focuses on helping partners and their clients enhance network capabilities, exploit new edge services for monetisation, and broadly integrate AI technology into their day-to-day operations.
“Intel is delivering innovations for our partners and their customers across network, edge, and enterprises to modernise their networks, monetise new services at the edge, and bring AI everywhere,” said Sachin Katti, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Network and Edge Group at Intel.
According to a senior executive, the company's strategy revolves around modernising network infrastructure through a transition from fixed-function systems to software-defined platforms and promoting success in edge computing with numerous real-world deployments.
The chipmaker's network and edge-optimised SOC strategy hinges on a unique approach that integrates general-purpose computing and acceleration for networking, AI, and vRAN workloads.
Intel has made significant strides in vRAN (virtual Radio Access Network) technology, announcing future Xeon processors, Granite Rapids-D, which promise enhanced performance and power efficiency.
The processor is designed to support the evolving needs of 5G and vRAN, with major telecom and technology companies like Samsung and Ericsson demonstrating the capabilities of this technology.
Additionally, the American giant is placing a strong emphasis on AI's role in network optimisation, introducing the Intel vRAN AI Development Kit for select partners. This initiative will facilitate the building, training, optimisation, and deployment of AI models to improve network efficiency and support new revenue opportunities.
For this, it has already collaborated with telecom operators such as AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, SK Telecom, and Vodafone.
In the 5G core performance and power savings space, the company said it is preparing to launch the next-gen Xeon processor Sierra Forest, which is expected to deliver significant improvements in core performance and efficiency, catering specifically to 5G core workloads.
