Private LTE provider Ukkoverkot supporting wide range of industrial applications
Industrial operators in Finland are investing in private LTE networks to support internet of things implementations that are part of larger digital transformation strategies. With wins from mining, port operations and other industrial interests, Nokia and compatriot operator Ukkoverkot entered into a strategic alliance to better address corporate customers.
Ukkoverkot is a Finnish operator that doesn’t provide consumer service, but rather leverages it 450 MHz and 2.6 GHz spectrum holdings for industrial and public safety networks. Tapping Nokia’s network infrastructure gear, the two firms are working together to deliver turnkey private LTE networks.
The latest project is a private LTE network for the Port of HaminaKotka on the country’s Southeast coast about 140 kilometers from Helsinki. Port operator Steveco uses the network to bring efficiencies to container handling, warehouse logistics and security. According to Nokia, cameras mounted on cranes stream video and analytics across the network.
Steveco’s Terminal Manager at HaminKotka, Niko Arola, said the cameras provide proof of container conditions as the enter and exit the facility. “Now we can, if needed, establish the status and state of incoming containers and insurance responsibility thanks to the cameras in the cranes. The connectivity also covers our terminals and the rest of the port area, enabling efficient communication for logistics and asset tracking.”
In other verticals, Nokia and Ukkoverkot worked with airport operator Finavia to deploy a private LTE network at the Helsinki Airport; Finavia CIO Harri Karjalainen said the project is expected “to provide unprecedented capacity and resilience for our critical airport services.”
Mining operator Sandvik is also working with Nokia on private LTE and is testing the company’s Digital Automation Cloud platform at a mining site in Tampere. The company said “connectivity and local computing power are crucial” to its digital strategy, which includes automated vehicles, remote monitoring, equipment diagnostics, predictive maintenance, asset management, control and authentication.
“Our cooperation with Nokia is another important part of our strategy to develop open, interoperable solutions for future mining needs. Enhanced connectivity is critical for smarter and safer underground operations, and we’re proud to work with Nokia to develop these enhanced connectivity options for our test mine and mining industry going forward,” Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology VP of Automation Riku Pulli said in a statement.
