5G Edge computing to debut in Hong Kong at Cyberport campus

Cyberport, SmarTone, and Ericsson announced a partnership to build Hong Kong’s first Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) deployment scenario at the Cyberport campus. 

Developed by Unissoft and supported by a 5G MEC system architecture designed by SmarTone, this deployment scenario combines SmarTone’s 5G network with the Ericsson Enterprise Edge Link. 

This is the first project in Hong Kong to adopt the technology in a commercial capacity, and the first batch of such projects in Asia. The first use case will be the Pet Monitoring System at Arcade@Cyberport, estimated to be operational in October this year.

Unissoft will be providing a Pet Monitoring System, supported by 5G MEC edge computing, at Arcade@Cyberport. This MEC device features a nEdge setup developed by Unissoft, integrated with the latest enterprise 5G Ericsson Enterprise Edge Link. 

Through high-definition cameras connected with the SmarTone 5G network, multiple real-time video stream will be transmitted via the SmarTone-developed 5G MEC architecture — through mobile edge gateways within the mall — to Unissoft’s in-house nEdge multi-cloud design for artificial intelligence (AI) analysis. 

This helps staff stay apprised of real-time information, such as the pet count within the mall and whether pets have entered any unauthorised areas, giving pets and their owners a better user experience while enabling staff to respond more quickly to emergencies and improve operational efficiency. 

The research and development process of this project was supported by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and the project was funded by the “Subsidy Scheme for Encouraging Early Deployment of 5G” of the Office of the Communications Authority.

”We will also continue to utilise the existing campus facilities and seize the opportunity of Cyberport expansion project to provide startups with testing and application opportunities while uplifting the digital technology experience of campus users,” said Howard Cheng, COO of Cyberport.

Unissoft founder Aldous Ng said the company will continue in their development of 5G-enabled AI Internet of Thing (IoT) applications in areas such as smart campus management, smart factory and esports, with the hopes of bringing 5G’s benefits to a wider audience.

SmarTone CTO Stephen Chau said that mobile operators need to make full use 5G characteristics — ultra-high speed, low latency and mass connectivity — and integrate them with other advanced technologies to create more innovative solutions that will help enterprises solve their pain points and improve operational efficiency.

“This is one of the first Ericsson Enterprise Edge Link collaborations in Asia to support commercial use, and this installation provides technology enterprises the capacity to adopt 5G edge computing more easily and at a lower cost,” said Åsa Tamsons, SVP at Ericsson.