Nokia has unveiled plans to inaugurate an Open Innovation Lab in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, aimed at fostering regional innovation and expediting the integration of cutting-edge technologies like AI/ML into network automation and optimization across the Middle East and Africa (MEA). This strategic initiative will bolster Nokia’s existing global collaborations with industry giants Dell Technologies and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), enhancing its focus on the MEA region.
The Open Innovation Lab will be dedicated to three pivotal areas that promise substantial benefits for network operators and enterprises. Firstly, it will spearhead innovation in the Cloud RAN sphere, collaborating closely with Nokia’s technology partners, including Dell and HPE, and engaging with prominent hyperscale players and ecosystem stakeholders. Nokia’s innovative anyRAN approach will advance Cloud RAN towards a cohesive solution that harmonizes with specialized RAN systems, ensuring consistent performance. This approach offers the much-sought flexibility in choosing technology providers and operating environments, aligning with the expectations of operators and enterprises for openness and efficiency.
Secondly, the lab will concentrate on private wireless and industrial networks, offering a platform to showcase innovative Industry 4.0 use cases and industrial edge applications on Nokia’s renowned MX Industrial Edge (MXIE) platform. This effort aims to expedite the adoption of Industry 4.0 solutions among enterprises in the region.
The third focal point of the lab is network intelligence, where Nokia is dedicated to accelerating the acceptance of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning solutions for network automation and optimization. The lab will serve as a showcase for Nokia’s MantaRay solution portfolio, a set of intelligent network management and automation tools.
Mikko Lavanti, Senior Vice President, Mobile Networks at Nokia, MEA, expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “We are thrilled to introduce our Open Innovation Lab in MEA, reaffirming our commitment to drive innovation alongside key partners in emerging technology domains, such as Dell and HPE. This collaboration will fast-track the adoption of groundbreaking technologies in our region, empowering both operators and enterprises to enhance network efficiency, performance, and unlock fresh monetization avenues.”
Tibor Fabry-Asztalos, Senior Vice President, Product Development Engineering, Telecom Systems Business, Dell Technologies, echoed the sentiment, remarking, “The future of the telecommunications industry is rooted in openness, fostered by a collaborative ecosystem of partners working together to facilitate digital transformation and the rapid introduction of innovative, revenue-generating solutions. Nokia’s Cloud RAN expertise, combined with Dell’s cloud-native infrastructure and software within the new Open Innovation Lab, will expedite the adoption and effectiveness of open network architectures, ushering in new possibilities for network automation and efficiency.”
Anna Granö, VP, Sales, Northern Western Europe for Top Accounts, Partner Ecosystem and Business Development, HPE, added, “Through rigorous testing of the high-density HPE ProLiant DL110 Telco server, designed to support up to three of Nokia’s RAN accelerator cards, all within a compact 1U platform, we have fortified our collaboration. By leveraging our strengths, we can offer a comprehensive and resilient Cloud RAN solution that amplifies efficiency, performance, openness, and scalability. We eagerly anticipate partnering with Nokia to introduce this innovation into the Nokia Open Innovation Lab, thus supporting operators and enterprises in the region as they embrace Cloud RAN technology.”
