Nokia and Telia Finland have unveiled a strategic partnership aimed at transforming the landscape of 5G network services, with the announcement of their collaboration in the European Union-funded innovation program, Sirius.
Under this initiative, Telia Finland has selected Nokia’s 5G Standalone Core Software as a Service (SaaS) to foster greater business agility and expedite the rollout and monetization of 5G network services. The primary objective is to establish a fully automated and scalable software model, enabling Telia Finland to open its network for application developers, particularly targeting industries like transportation.
The European Union funding allocated for Program Sirius will facilitate the creation of 5G Standalone (SA) corridors along highways and seaways. Telia Finland aims to pioneer in this arena by leveraging Nokia’s expertise to develop an innovative 5G Standalone Core stack. This initiative aims to be the first in Finland to provide developers access to the network for creating software applications tailored for diverse industries.
Moreover, a memorandum of understanding between the two entities solidifies their commitment to utilize Nokia’s Network as Code platform, including its developer portal, facilitating the creation of software applications for various enterprise, industrial, and consumer use cases. This collaboration will enable Telia Finland to monetize its 5G network beyond conventional connectivity, embracing a Software as a Service (SaaS) model.
Nokia’s Core SaaS marks a departure from conventional practices by offering a subscription-based service, eliminating upfront capital expenditures, and eliminating the need for on-site software maintenance and updates.
The platform provides developers with essential tools like Software Development Kits (SDKs) and Network Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), granting access to Telia’s network functionalities for creating new and innovative customer-centric solutions.
Fran Heeran, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Core Networks, Cloud and Network Services at Nokia, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, emphasizing Nokia’s commitment to providing agile and customer-centric solutions for 5G service delivery.
Shkumbin Hamiti, Head of Network Monetization Platform, Cloud and Network Services at Nokia, highlighted the strategic focus on Network as Code, aimed at unlocking the potential of networks for driving new business models.
Jari Collin, CTO at Telia Finland, echoed the excitement surrounding Program Sirius, emphasizing the significance of Telco SaaS and telco APIs in driving new services and experiences for customers while unlocking novel opportunities for value creation through the programmable persona of 5G network assets.
This collaboration signifies a major step towards fostering innovation in the 5G landscape, enabling the creation of tailored applications and services while exploring novel ways to extract value from 5G network assets.
