Finnish pair Edzcom and Signal Partners have signed a deal to combine private LTE and 5G networks and industrial LTE and 5G devices for customers in Europe. Their plan is to cater to the “growing digitalization and automation needs of heavy industry”, they said. Industrial customers will see reduced total costs and improved efficiency, as a consequence, they suggested.
Their combined service offer, bundling private networks from the former with bespoke device solutions from the latter, will be “delivered and managed through a single point of contact”, they said. Edzcom said the agreement puts it in position to “better serve its customer needs by providing customized device solutions as part of its entire network”.
Pekka Laitinen, chief executive at Signal Partners, said: “The private network segment is relatively new, and Edzcom is the leading company in this area. It was a natural fit to start a cooperation… We have the possibility to provide an efficient turnkey solution to our customers. What we offer together with Edzcom is everything the customer needs outside of applications.”
Mikko Uusitalo, managing director at Edzcom, said: “Signal Partners are an authority in sourcing and selling devices – they excel in configuring, testing and ensuring that replacement devices are available while understanding its lifecycle, as well as refining the process of how to provide device solutions as part of the whole network. We truly believe that the partnership will best complement our customers.”
He added: “In the past, dumpers to trucks or drilling machines have been man-operated. However this practice is declining as more of our customers are utilizing our wireless technology for increased automation. In this scenario, an operator can work remotely in a safe environment. Our network provides the connectivity between machines and the command centre, whereas Signal Partners supplies the device, such as routers or drones with the required software, thereby creating the link between the wireless network and the actual equipment.”
The suggestion is private LTE and 5G network management will be handled by the pair, or outsourced to third parties. A statement said: “Efforts to run, manage and maintain the network, together with customized devices will be automated and outsourced – allowing companies to redistribute their resources to other core aspects of their business.”
Laitinen said: “We’re excited that our customers will have the ability to tap into next generation, state-of-the-art services, remote management and real-time safety features. This move enables companies more opportunities to innovate their own operations.”
Finnish industrial networking specialist Edzcom, formerly Ukkoverkot, recently acquired by Spanish outfit Cellnex, has around 30 operational private LTE networks in the Nordic region, including with port equipment suppliers Konecranes, Sandvik, Finavia, and Steveco, the Finnish ports of Oulu, Kokkola, and HaminaKotka, Finnish state rail company VR Group, and the Finnish Defense Forces. It claims more private networking contracts in the Nordic region than any other company.
It owns spectrum at 2.6 GHz and 450 MHz in Finland, and has been a key partner for Nokia, notably, in its pursuit of industrial networking contracts. It also works with Italy-based Athonet for core network provision, with a new deal for private 5G at shipping terminals in Mussalo and Hietanen in Kotka for Steveco, Finland’s largest port operator, adjacent to work with Nokia at Kotka.
It has a deal with Danish engineering firm Danfoss at its factory in Vaasa, in the northwest of Finland. The arrangement also involves Finnish systems integrator Etteplan, and, like many of the above-mentioned deals, country-mate Nokia. Edzcom is engaged with Nokia on its work with the mining division of Sandvik in Finland, also, announced earlier this week.
