Nokia India: Bridging the industry advance towards next level of growth

Deepening Nokia-India relationship
For Nokia, 2021 was a year of standing with the industry as it pivoted to provide quality and reliable services to the subscribers and enterprises in the wake of ever-growing data consumption. In spite of several COVID-related restrictions, we were able to roll out more than 150,000 sites. We actively engaged with our partners in expanding the coverage and upgrading IP, optics, and core to enhance network performance as they transform the networks in line with the changing requirements.

The year 2021 was also a pathbreaking year for both the Indian telecom industry and Nokia, with key policy initiatives, like telecom reforms and Production Linked Incentives (PLI) scheme, and preparation for 5G setting the pace for the next wave of growth. We deepened our commitment to India by participating in the PLI scheme, designed to establish India as a global manufacturing hub. Nokia is one of the major investors and producers in the PLI scheme. In addition, we are committed to the Atmanirbhar Bharat policy of the Indian Government to help the industry grow the domestic capability to become self-reliant.

At Nokia, we place the interests of our partners at the center of all our products and services. It was then heartening when Nokia achieved the trusted source approval by National Cyber Security Coordinator (NCSC), thus qualifying us as a trusted partner for 5G deployment. We look forward to working with the industry to build the networks of the future.

We started manufacturing in India way back in 2008 when few global companies were doing so. Today, we continue to manufacture cutting-edge technology products in India, reflecting our commitment to the country. Our state-of-the-art factory in Chennai was the first to start producing 5G radio equipment in India. Recently, we deployed a private wireless network at our Chennai plant, along with our partners BSNL and Airtel, to achieve greater agility, production and efficiency. With Mandala Insights, we released a case study in digital transformation on Nokia’s conscious factory in Chennai.

Setting India on 5G journey
With the 5G spectrum auctions all set to be held later this year, we are working with the service providers to conduct 5G trials and prepare the networks for 5G.

We partnered with all the service providers- Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Jio, to conduct several field 5G trials in rural connectivity, network slicing, E-band backhaul and several consumer use cases, among others.

5G will play a crucial role in boosting the Indian economy. With ultra-high-speed and extremely low latency, it enables several innovative use cases, like remote surgery, immersive learning, and Industry 4.0. to help address some of the pertinent issues of our times. Nokia is collaborating with start-ups and academia in developing India-specific 5G use cases. Further, our proven expertise and global experience enable us to bring best practices and learnings to India and set the stage for major transformation to the Indian telecom industry.

Building a more sustainable India
One of the biggest crises facing our planet is climate change. As a responsible global technology leader, Nokia is extremely conscious of the impact we can have in building a more sustainable world.

As the service providers start to deploy 5G networks this year, it is an incredible opportunity to build a more sustainable India. Growing digital ecosystem is at the heart of a more environment-friendly world. Communications technology, especially 5G, can enable reductions in carbon emissions in several business verticals. As our Chief Executive Officer, Pekka Lundmark, said recently, “there is no green without digital.”