In Short:
Nokia to speed up 5G monetization for Indian operators Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel by leveraging global learnings. Investing in India’s 6G research and development with a lab and partnership with IISc Bengaluru. Focus on industry-specific 5G use cases. Jio rolled out 5G SA, Airtel opted for NSA. Nokia’s first-ever 5G deal with Jio and 45% share in Airtel’s 5G network. Working towards Bharat 6G vision.
Nokia to Speed up 5G Monetisation for Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel
Nokia aims to leverage its global learnings to expedite the fifth-generation (5G) monetisation process for its Indian telecom operator customers Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, said Harri Holma, Senior Advisor in Technology Office at Nokia’s Finland headquarters.
Investing in 6G Research and Development
Nokia is investing in India’s sixth-generation (6G) research and development efforts by establishing a lab and has forged a partnership with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, in this domain.
Optimising 5G FWA for Indian Market
Nokia is optimising 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) for its Indian customers and working on industry-specific 5G-driven use cases such as augmented reality/virtual reality, remote health, online education, defence and security.
Deployment Status of 5G in India
While Reliance Jio has rolled out 5G with standalone (SA) architecture, Airtel has opted for the 5G nonstandalone (NSA) route. Nokia executive emphasized the need for upgrading 5G radios, investing in 5G core networks, and deploying more spectrum for successful 5G implementation.
Private Networks and Nokia’s Role
The concept of private networks is still not utilized in India, and Nokia is working on developing Digital Automation Cloud to make it easier for enterprise customers to deploy private 5G networks.
6G Vision and Future Plans
Nokia is actively contributing to India’s 6G vision as articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with a focus on developing technology to support future business cases and joint collaboration.
5G Equipment Supply Deals
In 2022, Nokia and Ericsson won 5G equipment supply deals from Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, marking significant progress for Nokia in the Indian market.
Source: ETTelecom
