Cornerstone has formed a strategic partnership with StonesThro to explore the deployment of micro-edge cloud computing across the UK. This approach brings computing power closer to the point of use, reducing latency, easing capacity constraints, and keeping sensitive data within national borders.
According to a press release, proof-of-concept deployments are underway to test and refine integration alongside existing infrastructure. The initiative aims to strengthen the UK’s digital infrastructure, creating a distributed, resilient, and more secure national network. Geopolitical uncertainty, stricter regulation, and reliance on centralised cloud platforms have elevated data sovereignty and resilience from technical issues to strategic priorities.
Pat Coxen, CEO, Cornerstone, said, “By partnering with StonesThro, we are evolving our estate from being predominantly about communication to supporting local data processing and the intelligent use of information. We are providing the ‘where’ for micro-edge, infrastructure that is resilient, trusted and embedded within the communities and industries it serves.”
Ashley Sellar, CEO, StonesThro, said, “Digital resilience is increasingly inseparable from national resilience. This partnership is about creating a living network of micro-edge compute that delivers real-time capability without distance, delay or dependency.”
Micro-edge computing allows organisations to process data locally, improving response times and reducing reliance on distant, centralised data centers. It is particularly relevant for autonomous systems, smart transport networks, healthcare diagnostics, and emergency response services, where decisions must be made in seconds rather than minutes.
The UK is facing rapidly evolving demands on its digital infrastructure. Data volumes are increasing, systems are becoming more automated, and expectations for real-time performance are rising across sectors including transport, healthcare, emergency services, and industry.