Tony Baird (Vodafone NZ) and Tommi Uitto (Nokia) signed the memorandum of understanding.
Credit: Supplied
Nokia has signed a memorandum of understanding with Vodafone NZ to collaborate on new applications and services enabled by Nokia’s mobile network technology.
The agreement will focus on accelerating the opportunities of Vodafone’s 4G/5G network and comes as the two organizations celebrate 30 years of partnership in New Zealand,
The companies will also look to explore the capabilities of 5G Advanced and 6G networks in the future.
Through joint investment in technology validation, demonstrations and field trials, the collaboration would seek to further ignite innovation in advanced networks, Nokia said.
The partners would do this by developing commercial opportunities and future use cases in areas such as network slicing, private networks, industrial automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, Edge computing and the 6G enabled future.
“Nokia has a proud thirty-year history of bringing the world’s best mobile technology to New Zealand with Vodafone, most recently helping Vodafone deliver a world class 5G network,” said Tommi Uitto, president of mobile networks at Nokia.
The collaboration would also pave the way to 5G-Advanced and ultimately 6G, he said.
“New Zealand has a thriving and dynamic telecommunications environment, which provides a perfect backdrop to pioneer innovation – innovation that will enable incredible advances in connectivity, services and the associated digital transformation.”
Tony Baird, Vodafone NZ’s wholesale and infrastructure director, said customers needed fast, reliable connectivity to unlock the magic of technology.
“We have invested extensively in our 4G and 5G networks with Nokia and the innovation collaboration announced today is an awesome next step”, Baird said.
“A relentless focus on innovation, and bringing leading technology and expertise to Aotearoa, is how we help Kiwi businesses, industry and people realize the huge potential of advanced mobile networks in the short term, while putting us firmly on the path towards a 6G future in the longer term.”
Nokia New Zealand recorded local revenue of $159.9 million for the year ended 31 December 2021, down from $177.5 million in 2020. Profit before tax was $3.3 million, up from $2.8 million.
Rival Ericsson Communications reported a steep increase in New Zealand sales in May, off a low base, as telco infrastructure rival Huawei struggled with national security concerns.
Ericsson reported revenue of $43 million in the year to 31 December 2021 up from $21.9 million in 2020 and $16 million in 2019.
Huawei’s New Zealand sales were headed in the opposite direction, falling from $198.8 million in the year to 31 December 2019 to $111.3 million in 2020. In June it reported a further decline for 2021 to $79.6 million.
In 2019, the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) signed off on Vodafone NZ’s plan to build its new 5G network with Nokia.
Tags Nokiavodafone NZmobile networks6G5Gmobility
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