Nokia Oyj (ADR) (NYSE:NOK) and Telefónica have finalized a deal to assess technologies allowing an efficient network growth to 5G in line with latter’s business goals. The firms will evaluate how higher performance 5G and 4G networks will lead to the development of compelling new services.
The details
Nokia has developed a path to 5G for operators like Telefónica utilizing its 4.5G, 4.9G and 4.5G Pro technologies, which offer advances such as capacity, improved latency and increased speed, when and where needed. Under the deal, the company will focus on trials that increase the application of Telefónica’s current network assets, ultimately assisting it meet the evolving and growing demands of distinct subscribers and the internet of things.
Leveraging unlicensed and licensed spectrum as well as Nokia immense MIMO capabilities, the firms will perform trials to enhance capacity in busy city center hot spots and in rural and suburban areas, predominantly in markets where conventional LTE spectrum is limited. Other trials will utilize Nokia MEC for the distribution of ultra-low latency communications. Nokia MEC enables data to be managed closer to the end-user to allow the faster network response time needed by major machine-to-machine type communications in enterprises such as mines and factories, and to offer immersive virtual reality video know-how in stadiums.
Telefónica and Nokia will also probe network slicing processes on a cloud-native core network utilizing Telefónica’s UNICA cloud platform. This will enable Telefónica to use a common network infrastructure to offer discrete services to numerous existing and new customers. Telefónica planned the UNICA program with the goal of using software defined networking and network functions virtualization to transform the way it offers customer services, fulfilling new consumer demands fast and in the most efficient way.
Enrique Blanco of Telefónica expressed that as demand rises, they intend to offer the best possible network experience even as they expand their offering to both new and existing customers. Working with Nokia, the company will explore the prospect of major technologies that enable them to achieve this in the most effective manner on the path to 5G.
