The Power of a Programmable Core and Distributed Edge

Back in 1987, I joined British Telecom as a technician apprentice, just as the industry was shifting from clunky copper-based step and relay switches in Central Offices to the shiny promise of System X and digital. My most prized possession at the time was one of the very first “mobile” phones. When I say mobile, this was a brick-sized handset with luminous green buttons, tethered by a curly cord to what could only be described as a car battery in disguise. Portable? Only if you had the muscles of a weightlifter. At the time, none of us could have imagined that these clunky contraptions were the opening act of a revolution, that telecommunications would become the backbone of modern business, transportation, education and defence, with wave after wave of technological innovation and transformation bringing us to where we are today.

For decades, connectivity has been delivered by operators as a fixed utility, with networks designed for scale and stability, but not for agility, even in the mobility era. This rigidity is increasingly incompatible with the realities of today’s creative and transformational digital landscape. Organizations now operate in a world defined by distributed workforces, multi-cloud applications, pervasive IoT and mission-critical mobile first services that cannot tolerate inflexible architectures, latency, downtime, or security vulnerabilities.

The problem is: traditional networks were not built for the speed of digital transformation. They are static, centrally controlled, and difficult to customize. As a result, enterprises, institutions and agencies often face long lead times for new deployments, limited visibility into performance, and challenges adapting to new demands.

The solution lies in programmable cores combined with distributed edge networks, enabling Network-as-a-Service (NaaS). With this shift, connectivity becomes a dynamic, on-demand platform that is software-defined, resilient, and adaptable to the specific needs of the user or application. This transformation already occurred in the server ecosystem with AWS, AZURE, etc. Now the time has come to bring the legacy telecom architecture into fulfilling today’s needs.

The Power of Programmability and the Edge

A programmable core introduces intelligence into the network, allowing policies, security and performance to be configured in real-time providing command and control capabilities to the operator or user. Distributed Edge Networks extend this intelligence closer to where data is generated and consumed, reducing latency, enhancing resilience, enabling AI solutions and localized decision-making. Together, they create a Network as a Service (NaaS) foundational architecture, where connectivity is consumed like cloud services: flexible, scalable, and tailored to the task at hand.

This transformation redefines networking not as a fixed utility, but as a strategic enabler of digital innovation.

Here we highlight four use cases that can greatly benefit from a programmable approach, combined with edge network capabilities.

Enterprise: Agility at Scale

Global enterprises are under pressure to innovate faster while managing costs and risk. Static networks often hold them back.

• Faster market entry: Retailers and logistics providers can stand up secure, policy-compliant sites in hours rather than weeks.
• Application-aware performance: Programmable cores prioritize critical tools like video conferencing or ERP over less urgent traffic, improving productivity.
• Global resilience: Organizations can dynamically reroute traffic across regions, ensuring continuity during outages or geopolitical disruptions.

Enterprises gain a network that adapts to business transformation rather than constraining it.

Higher Education: Powering the Digital Campus

Universities must balance open access with security, while supporting research and hybrid learning. Traditional architectures often require compromises, but using a NaaS approach means they can fulfil the following requirements:

• Segmented networks: Programmability allows customers to isolate sensitive research data from general student Wi-Fi traffic without duplicating infrastructure.
• Unlocking Sustainable Revenue Streams: Facing the challenges of reduced funding from many sources, Higher Education institutions can brand a bespoke NaaS experience for faculty, staff and alumni providing the ability to stay connected using an agile, secure infrastructure.
• High-performance research: Distributed edge processing supports bandwidth-intensive fields such as genomics, climate modeling, and AI.
• Immersive learning: Low-latency, reliable networks, powered by edge capabilities, enable students to engage in real-time, interactive virtual learning experiences.

The result is a campus that is more secure, more connected, and more competitive attracting a broader student audience while delivering an exemplary student experience.

Automotive: Driving the Connected Future

The automotive industry is undergoing its own transformation, with vehicles increasingly reliant on real-time connectivity for safety, efficiency, and consumer experience.

• Autonomous driving: Distributed edge networks process data closer to vehicles, enabling split-second decisions with minimal latency.
• Fleet management: A programmable network core allows logistics operators to monitor, update, and optimize global fleets in real time.
• In-car experiences: NaaS supports dynamic bandwidth allocation, ensuring passengers enjoy uninterrupted streaming, navigation, or AR applications.

Programmable, edge-enabled networks are the backbone of the smart mobility ecosystem.

Defence: Secure, Adaptive Connectivity

In defence contexts, secure, resilient communications are mission-critical. Traditional static networks can be vulnerable or ill-suited for dynamic operational environments. Programmable and distributed architectures open up new possibilities:

• Tactical edge resilience: Deploying distributed edge networks in remote or contested areas allows forces to maintain secure local connectivity, even when links to central infrastructure are disrupted.
• Dynamic policy enforcement: Security and access rules can be applied instantly, tailored to mission requirements and adjusted as conditions change.
• Interoperability across domains: Programmable cores can federate connectivity across land, sea, air, and cyber operations, ensuring seamless collaboration without compromising security.

For defence organizations, this transformation represents both an operational advantage and a strategic imperative.

The Road Ahead

The movement toward programmable cores, distributed edges, and NaaS is reshaping the very definition of connectivity. Networks are becoming software-defined, elastic, and deeply integrated into the fabric of digital transformation.

The winners in this new era will be those who view connectivity not as a fixed asset, but as a strategic enabler—one that continues to transform and innovate in lockstep with business models, educational missions and national security needs.

The shift is already underway. For enterprises, higher education and defence agencies alike, embracing this programmable future is not simply about better networks it’s about command and control, unlocking the next wave of digital innovation and when we will look back years from now, some will say of course that’s what we needed, why didn’t I think of that!