Nokia moves on public safety networks
Nokia has revealed that it is working with Telstra on developing opportunities to help build out private LTE networks and offer industrial Internet of Things (IoT) solutions across government and businesses in the utilities, transport, maritime, and logistics industries.
Speaking during Telstra Vantage 2018 in Melbourne this week, Nokia Oceania head of Industry and Enterprise Gary Conway told ZDNet that his business is focused on providing mission-critical solutions for enterprise customers, with the networking giant already working with Ausgrid, Energex, and Rio Tinto.
Nokia's global strategy for the enterprise segment is based on the three target markets of energy, transport, and public safety.
Within energy, Conway said Nokia is targeting power utilities as well as mining, oil, and gas companies; for transport, the company is focused on the airline industry, railways, and metro transport solutions.
"We have a third pillar, which is public sector ... within that title, you've got examples of doing business in Defence, federal government, state government, and probably critical for Australia coming up is some of the public safety networks that are being discussed," he explained.
"We're playing a big part in shaping that in Australia and also globally."
According to Conway, public safety agencies are looking to have a network that is always available to them, but with the knowledge that "it's highly unlikely they're going to have the budget to go out and build a purely private network".
"I think we're going to see hybrid networks in Australia, where vendors like Nokia have a part to play in the evolution of those networks, but also working with the carrier service providers," he said.
Nokia has already been working with TeamTalk in New Zealand on this track, providing emergency services connected vehicles, wireless technology, private LTE, and IoT services and solutions.
Under the deal announced in May, Nokia and TeamTalk will work on building an IP/Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS)-based critical communications radio service using Nokia's backhaul network solution.
In the utilities and transport space, meanwhile, Conway said Nokia is working with Telstra on multiple projects, including with a major utility in Victoria.
"Utilities often like to control their KPIs, which is difficult sometimes on a public access network, so we're working with Telstra on some private solutions with some utilities in Victoria," he detailed.
"We're also working in the transport segment; we've got a high degree of collaboration work on refreshing and getting an air traffic control network renewed and refreshed, and we're working on that with Telstra as well."
According to Nokia, its SpaceTime platform can then help determine how individual businesses can adopt IoT solutions across private or hybrid LTE networks, so they can be used for managing assets via analytics and machine learning.
The partnership with Telstra helps Nokia push into such businesses and industries, Conway explained, with the two working to develop use cases by bringing together their expertise across two different areas to combine on a joint solution for customers.
"Telstra's bringing their expertise in a managed service environment, and we're bringing our enterprise learnings and expertise in mission-critical networks and the infrastructure to support and supply the KPIs that those networks require."
Disclosure: Corinne Reichert travelled to Telstra Vantage 2018 in Melbourne as a guest of Telstra
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