Across the UK, the demands placed on digital infrastructure are changing fast. Data volumes are growing, systems are becoming more automated, and the expectation for real-time performance is rising across everything from transport and healthcare to emergency services and industry.
At the same time, the context around how and where data is processed has shifted. Geopolitical uncertainty, tightening regulation and increasing reliance on centralised cloud platforms have turned data sovereignty and resilience from technical considerations into strategic ones.
That’s why we’ve entered into a strategic partnership with StonesThro, to explore how micro-edge cloud computing can strengthen the UK’s digital resilience by bringing compute capacity closer to where it’s actually needed.
Why micro-edge, and why now?
For many critical systems to be truly resilient, computing power needs to sit closer to the point of use and firmly within national borders. Relying solely on distant, centralised data centres, often governed outside the UK, introduces latency, capacity constraints and jurisdictional risk that are increasingly hard to ignore.
Micro-edge cloud computing addresses this by enabling localised data processing on trusted infrastructure. By processing data nearer to where it is created and used, organisations can improve response times, reduce dependency on remote platforms and maintain greater control over sensitive information.
Our partnership with StonesThro is focused on exploring how this model can be deployed at scale across our national estate, creating a more distributed, resilient approach to digital infrastructure in the UK.
A practical foundation for scale
Deploying micro-edge at scale isn’t straightforward. It requires access to secure sites, power, connectivity and the operational experience to design, build and manage infrastructure in live environments.
By combining StonesThro’s edge cloud expertise with our nationwide estate, we are providing the physical foundation needed to overcome many of the traditional barriers to scale. This creates the opportunity to support a wide range of use cases, without relying on a small number of large, centralised facilities.
Supporting critical systems and services
Demand for real-time data processing is growing rapidly. Autonomous systems, smart transport networks, healthcare diagnostics and emergency response services all depend on decisions being made in moments, not minutes.
Micro-edge plays an important role in supporting these systems by reducing latency, improving resilience and keeping control of data within the UK. It also forms part of a wider conversation about how national infrastructure can be used to protect digital borders while still enabling innovation.
“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.”
Pat Coxen, CEO, Cornerstone
“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.”
Ashley Sellar, CEO, StonesThro
What happens next?
This partnership marks the beginning of a longer-term exploration of how micro-edge cloud can support the UK’s digital future. Proof-of-concept deployments are now underway, allowing us and StonesThro to test, learn and refine how locally deployed compute can be integrated alongside existing connectivity infrastructure.
By bringing compute closer to end users, we’re not just addressing latency and capacity challenges, we’re laying the foundations for a more secure, distributed and resilient digital UK.
For media enquiries, please contact media@cornerstone.network.
About StonesThro
StonesThro is a specialist consultancy and solutions provider focused on the intersection of digital infrastructure, micro-edge computing, and strategic resilience. We help organisations navigate the complexities of the modern digital landscape by providing secure, scalable, and sovereign technology solutions.