5G • Services
MEC
Multi-Access Edge Computing
Cloud computing infrastructure deployed at the edge of the 5G network close to end-users to achieve single-digit millisecond latency.
Technical Explanation
Standardized by ETSI and supported natively in 3GPP 5G Core, MEC places compute, storage, and application processing power in close physical proximity to the radio access network. By deploying a local UPF with Uplink Classifier (UL CL) or Local Breakout (LBO), user traffic destined for edge applications is routed directly to local servers without traversing the long-distance public internet backhaul. This enables ultra-low response times for cloud gaming, autonomous driving, AR guidance, and industrial computer vision.
Key Functions
- Traffic steering via UPF Uplink Classifier (UL CL) to local edge compute nodes
- Ultra-low round-trip latency (1-5 ms) by eliminating backhaul transport hops
- Local data retention for enterprise privacy and high bandwidth offload
- Standardized ETSI MEC application enablement APIs
Specifications
ETSI GS MEC 003, 3GPP TS 23.501 (UL CL / Branching Point)
Interfaces
N6 (Local Breakout)N4 (PFCP Steering Rules)MEC Platform APIs
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