The promise of faster, next-generation wireless networks is unlikely to reach many rural communities in Asia for years, making networked computers a more practical option for the overall region, a Microsoft Corp. executive said.
Speaking at the Innovation Summit 2019 in Hong Kong on Sept. 5, Alain Crozier, head of Microsoft's Greater China region, said companies in Asia that focus on developing powerful distributed computing can help improve the overall technological reach and innovation in the entire region versus just the areas where 5G networks are beginning to deploy.
A distributed computer system consists of software that connects many computers to a single network, whether they are physically close together or geographically distant. The goal is to make the network of computers function as a single machine. Many technological advancements — including the ability to process vast amounts of data, store data on a centralized cloud server and process information via artificial intelligence — came about due to advancements in distributed systems, Microsoft's research team noted in a 2018 analysis of major developments in modern computing.
"When we speak about helping Asia in the global technology race, the most important thing is not 5G, it is distributed computing," Crozier said during a Sept. 5 panel discussion.
Emerging 5G technology is expected to transform many industries with faster mobile data, reduced latency, energy savings and cost reductions. China's three telecom operators are already piloting 5G in more than a dozen cities. But it will likely take many years for such technology to reach some remote agricultural communities in Southeast Asia, Crozier noted. These are places where distributed computing can help, by utilizing technology already available in these areas, he said.
"These communities will not benefit from 5G tomorrow or in the next 5 to 20 years," Crozier said. "They need bandwidth that can be made available immediately."
