Operator networks are under pressure to meet consumer demands for more bandwidth and less latency.

Multi-access edge computing (MEC) has been heralded as a way to address these needs by processing tasks closer to the end user, although much traffic processing still takes place in the core. According to IGR, 80 percent of user data is video (and the vast majority is encrypted), and almost 40 percent of video content could be cached at the edge. By placing a white box platform at the edge of the network, operators can enjoy the feature and operational cost benefits derived from white box edge routing.