A bunch of operators get together to push 5G and MEC interoperability

América Móvil, KT Corp., Rogers, Telstra, Verizon and Vodafone have formed a new gang called the 5G Future Forum.

The stated aim of the gang is to ‘accelerate the delivery of 5G and mobile-edge computing-enabled solutions around the world.’ It apparently thinks that there are issues around the interoperability of 5G specifications that need sorting out. This doesn’t seem to refer to the 5G standard itself, but rather 5G-enabled solutions like autonomous vehicles, smart factories and so on.

“This forum of global leaders in 5G marks an important step in ensuring edge computing works seamlessly for our customers,” said Vinod Kumar, CEO of Vodafone Business. “These new specifications will allow us to offer services that work consistently across the globe and support devices moving between countries. 5G opens up a wealth of opportunities for new solutions and business models and we’re excited to play a role in bringing them to life.”

“5G is a key enabler of the next global industrial revolution, where technology will transform how we live and work. It’s critical that technology partners around the world unite to create the most seamless global experience for our customers,” said Hans Vestberg, CEO of Verizon. “We are proud to join with our fellow 5G leaders to unlock the full potential of applications and solutions that will transform with 5G’s fast speeds, high reliability, improved security and single-digit latency.”

All the other founding members got a canned quote too but you get the gist. Other than a press release there doesn’t seem to be much else to the forum yes, not even a website. Presumably other operators will be brought into the fold in due course, but the absence of any telecoms or technology specification organisations looks like a potential issue.