Nokia looks to expand business beyond telecom in India

With an aim to insulate itself from the crisis in the telecom sector, Nokia is planning to diversify its portfolio beyond the mobile network operators into segments like power and transport companies, cable operators and large enterprises which need IP network.  Nokia has transformed the current network of Tata Power Delhi Distribution into a modern communications network in order to enhance the delivery of power to more than seven million in its area of operation. 

Since the market is still flattish, it aims to go beyond the telecom space and wants to cover more of the customers outside the given telecom space. Hence, Nokia currently serves utility companies, web scale businesses and large enterprise businesses.  Whether it is power or gas companies, everyone is putting their own high performance network. Earlier, they were more dependent upon a network provider but are not dependent upon IP networks hence Nokia plans to have an IP portfolio which fits well with building such networks. The telecom company is also big on smart cities project and plans to offer connectivity solutions which basically enable applications such as smart parking.

The big bet for the company is 5G network. Nokia has signed MoUs with Bharti Airtel in order to collaborate on a strategic roadmap for network evolution to 5G technology and the management of the connected devices. With BSNL, Nokia has partnered to develop a 5G ecosystem in the country and will conduct 5G demonstrations and also develop unique and relevant use cases in order to provide ultra-high speed and ultra-low latency network to the subscribers. The commercial deployment of 5G will begin in 2021 and the company has put up a 5G Lab in Bengaluru which has three kinds of applications. One is about ultra-broadband which for the virtual reality kind of applications and other heavy usage applications. The second one is on massive connectivity and will be for Internet of Things. The last one will be on low latency applications which could be things like remote surgery. The technology is being tested and demonstrated in the lab.

In line with Make in India initiative, Nokia is manufacturing its plant in Chennai and the latest suppliers as well as products which are manufactured for 4G in India will be produced there. The company is also exporting from there. India has always been a strategic country for Nokia and apart from being a big market for the country; Nokia has global operations and manufacturing units here as well. It is also contributing large numbers in terms of the growth perspective.