Nokia says it is partnering with AT&T to deliver Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity worldwide. To connect AT&T's enterprise customers with Nokia's global IoT ecosystem, the companies are using Nokia's Worldwide IoT Network Grid (WING), which includes billing, core network, dedicated IoT operations, data analytics, and security.
By teaming up with AT&T, Nokia says they can address local regulatory requirements for IoT devices together, as well as meet unique business needs through capabilities such as 5G network slicing, enabling a single network to be divided into multiple networks.
AT&T's cloud-based Multi-Network Connect enables businesses to manage IoT devices across multiple cellular and satellite networks, operators, and regions through a single portal. According to Nokia, the Multi-Network Connect platform will streamline connectivity and platform capabilities for AT&T's use of its WING.
Nokia WING delivers managed service for global IoT connectivity, empowering mobile network operators to maximize investments and minimize time to market. AT&T will work with WING to accelerate IoT services delivery globally, and drive developing IoT applications.
"Our work with Nokia WING will help clear away the complexity of large-scale IoT adoption so that our customers can unlock the potential of IoT worldwide," said Chris Penrose, IoT solutions, AT&T president. "Boosted by Nokia's globally deployed ‘one-stop shop' network technology, we can be more nimble and responsive to our customers' needs."
AT&T and Nokia will create, test, and launch next-generation IoT services for an array of industries, including consumer electronics, transportation, health, manufacturing, retail, agriculture, utilities, and smart cities. Commercial deployment will begin later this year, while WING's core network assets should be available in over 20 countries throughout Europe, Asia, North America, South America, and the Middle East by the first quarter of 2020, says Nokia.
The partnership between AT&T and Nokia will lay the groundwork for the worldwide 5G evolution, as the companies can bring improved capabilities to customers with growing performance and flexibility, and lower latency. Earlier this year, AT&T asserted that this focus on 5G does not mean it will neglect other technologies, and that it intends to launch mobile 5G service in a dozen markets by late 2018, alongside its plans to expand the reach of AT&T Fiber for consumers and businesses, and of G.fast. (see "AT&T plans to expand reach of 5G, AT&T Fiber, and G.fast").
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