Connected living, vehicles and buildings target of Nokia, StarHub partnership
Finnish vendor Nokia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Singapore telco StarHub to jointly drive IoT adoption in Singapore. Under the terms of the new alliance, the two partners plan to develop new IoT use cases and applications in the areas of connected living, connected vehicles and connected buildings, with plans to offer commercial services to customers the first quarter of next year.
Nokia will support StarHub and its partners in the development of use cases, such as for smart parking, environmental sensors and video analytics. Nokia will also help StarHub promote the benefits of IoT technology through various activities, including developer outreach programmes and participation in IoT-related events. Nokia Bell Labs will provide consultancy services to StarHub and its enterprise customers.
“A large component of Singapore’s smart nation initiative involves the deployment of IoT devices in the environment, including in the home, along streets and in parks, and in offices. The granular data derived from these sensors will allow our enterprise customers to understand and gain insights from their own customers, improving operational efficiencies and aid in long-term planning,” Chong Yoke Sin, head of StarHub’s enterprise business group, said. “We will leverage Nokia’s IoT technology to help address urban challenges faced by our government and commercial customers. We also look forward to building viable business models on this nascent technology.”
In 2014, the government of Singapore launched its smart nation vision in which the authorities of the Asian nation stipulated the implementation of a number of smart city initiatives as a response to growing urban challenges including urban density and energy sustainability.
The most developed smart services in Singapore are within the transportation and urban mobility sector. Local authorities have been working on the implementation of an intelligent transport system over the last decade.
The government has also implemented a number of smart city initiatives in the field of safety and citizen security. The Singapore Police Force provides a web-based electronic police center for citizens to gather information, file police reports online, and handle administrative affairs such as applying for certified copy of police reports and criminal records.
Additionally, a key initiative in the environmental sector includes a mobile application developed by local utility Singapore Power, which allows citizens to view their bills and payment status, and submit meter readings. The app enables consumers to audit their home usage to manage water consumption.
Also, smart waste bins were introduced in 2015 as a part of smart waste management program. Under the initiative, monitors attached on bin lids collect information on contents and location, with the information transmitted to a garbage team through a central server. The waste collection team can optimize their route planning with the information provided by the sensors.
In the energy sector, Singapore’s Intelligent Energy System attempts to improve network operations and facilitate active participation among consumers. Smart meters equipped with communication capabilities provide consumers and the grid operator with information on how much electricity is being used.
