Azure Updates: 5G networking; IoT Central; Developer updates

Microsoft CTO and Technical Fellow, Victor Bahl, discussed the company's efforts to use cloud computing to improve 5G wireless networks. Software running on off-the-shelf servers can power much of 5G technology, and a shift from hardware to software may make the telecom industry more nimble in rolling out changes. Microsoft is focusing on massive multi-input and multi-output (MIMO) to expand the capacity of a radio link, through edge computing and distributed pipelines with an edge data center. As part of its Azure for Operators program, and other initiatives, Microsoft is investing heavily in AI and ML for 5G scenarios.