Cognizant is expanding its collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies Inc., to accelerate enterprise digital transformation through a new 5G experience center in Atlanta, Ga. The collaboration combines Cognizant's deep experience in 5G, IoT, cloud and data analytics with Qualcomm Technologies' intelligent edge devices, AI and 5G connectivity solutions. Building upon the improvements that 4G made to the consumer mobile experience, 5G was conceived with enterprises in mind, enabling and accelerating broad digital transformation journeys across industries.

Private 5G networks make possible next-generation services, such as autonomous driving, robotic automation, synthetic biology, virtual reality and smart manufacturing in an ultra-reliable, low-latency, secure and scalable way. Cognizant is expanding 5G experience center footprint globally with the Atlanta location being the first of planned 5G centers in North America. It builds on the success of Cognizant's 5G center in Bangalore, India.

The center is designed to help clients imagine, test and deploy next-generation solutions by pairing private 5G networks and Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) technologies to deliver unique advantages. The combination of 5G and MEC offers enterprises the ability to create multiple virtual networks with the same physical hardware and support thousands of connected devices generating data insights in real time, with better network security and less congestion – all of which leads to better business outcomes and more seamless end-user experiences. The center will open with several use cases ready for clients to explore, including: Manufacturing: 5G-connected cameras with video analytics leveraging MEC infrastructure can help clients dramatically accelerate anomaly detection in manufacturing lines, allowing for rapid intervention and issue resolution to maximize production yields and minimize down time.

Supply chain management: Autonomous mobile robots, controlled, operated and integrated via 5G into warehouse management, fleet management and enterprise resource planning systems can allow for more predictable and consistent supply of components in manufacturing, more efficient inventory control and significantly lower risk of workplace injuries. Over time, the 5G Experience Center for Digital Transformation will showcase additional solutions – pre-developed, and custom-created with clients – geared towards solving specific business challenges and helping clients deliver experiences that meet their stakeholders' evolving expectations.