MEC (Multi-Access Edge Computing)

Multi-Access Edge Computing is the ETSI-standardised architecture that places computing resources at the edge of mobile networks, typically co-located with the UPF or aggregation sites, to reduce latency for applications such as AR/VR, industrial automation, and connected vehicles. MEC deployment expands the trust boundary of the mobile network and requires careful workload isolation and key management.

Categories: Core NetworkProtocols and StandardsEncryption and Cryptography

MEC in context

The mobile core carries subscriber sessions, mobility and policy. In 4G it is the EPC (MME, HSS, S/PGW); in 5G it is the Service-Based Architecture with AMF, SMF, UPF, AUSF, UDM and the NRF.

Telecom security is written into standards from 3GPP, GSMA, ETSI, IETF and ITU-T. Understanding which body owns which specification, and how they interlock, is essential for both design and audit work.

To place MEC in the wider telecom-security picture, review Network Slice, AES, Conformance Testing, EIR, Jitter and NESAS — each entry cross-references back to this page so you can walk the topic in either direction.

Related terms

More from the TelcoSec Glossary

Browse the full TelcoSec Glossary, the Ultimate Guide to Mobile Network Security, or the P1 Arsenal of telecom-security tools.