Italian operator Linkem has signed with Nokia to resell The Finnish firm’s cloud-based private network platform to industrial companies in its home market.
Linkem claims a 40 per cent share of the fixed-wireless access (FWA) market it Italy; the company has live 5G network operations in the country as well. The reseller deal is for Nokia’s Netflix-style as-a-service solution for on-premise LTE and edge computing, called Digital Automation Cloud (DAC).
The plug-and-play DAC solution is available with a set of data processing tools to support applications for smart manufacturing, predictive maintenance, and remote operations. It sits alongside the company’s modular private wireless (MPW) micro-core network solution for full-blooded private LTE and 5G, based on its 5G-ready Compact Mobility Unit (CMU).
Linkem said it will offer the platform as a springboard to connect industrial operations in Italy, and to drive digital change. The operator is looking to develop “innovative ecosystems through the proposition of value-added services tailored to enterprise and public administration.”
The oil and gas sector, mining industry, solar and wind farms, and retail and transportation markets are all targets. The deal, which goes live in the third quarter, opens a local Industry 4.0 market worth “several million euros” to Linkem and Nokia, according to Nokia.
Linkem has attracted over €500 million of foreign investment and is implementing an industrial plan to develop 5G solutions, said Nokia.
Shkumbin Hamiti, head of digital automation and partnerships at Nokia, said: “Linkem is a unique company in its dedication to Italy’s communications infrastructure and its plans to achieve digital transformation.
“By reselling and deploying our end-to-end, industrial-grade private wireless network, it will serve as a major opportunity to unleash the potential of the previously untapped LTE and 5G networks operating in the 3.5 GHz band, accelerating the digital transformation of major industries.”
Davide Rota, chief executive at Linkem, said: “Linkem is committed to accelerating the digital transformation of Italian territories. The partnership with Nokia is an important piece of our transition plan to 5G. By choosing Nokia’s private wireless network platform for entering the Industry 4.0 solutions market, this agreement is an important step towards completing our offer of most innovative networking technologies dedicated to industrial customers and public administrations.”
