Australian telo TPG Telecom has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nokia as part of a new partnership to develop and deliver mobile private network solutions for the mining and energy sectors.
The agreement will see TPG Telecom and Nokia collaborate across their portfolio of assets including mobile radio 4G and 5G technologies, spectrum, core network, transmission, managed services, IoT and industrial applications to provide technology solutions and encourage digital and operational technology transformation in the mining and energy sectors.
Jonathan Rutherford, TPG Telecom group executive for wholesale, enterprise and government, said: “We are excited to extend our relationship with Nokia which has provided unrivalled expertise in helping us build Australia’s smartest 5G mobile network. This MoU will see us work together to drive new technological innovations to help the mining and energy sectors realize the productivity and connectivity benefits that mobile private networks can provide.”
Anna Perrin, head of Nokia Oceania, said: “As our industries adopt transformative technologies like automation and virtualization, it’s essential to have smart, fast, sustainable and resilient private network solutions supporting their operations.”
The partners noted that Mobile Private Network (MPN) is an ultra-secure solution for businesses, allowing interconnectivity between people and things using 4G or 5G technology. Within the mining and energy sectors, MPN enables new applications and supports existing business services using a local network on their premises.
Several specific use cases for the mining and energy sectors will be developed at the UTS Nokia 5G Innovation lab in Sidney to demonstrate the potential and opportunities made possible by TPG Telecom’s Mobile Private Networks. Applications will center around connected workers, connected assets, safe worker and site security, and industrial automation.
TPG Telecom General Manager Customer Technology Solutions – Enterprise & Government, Easwaren Siva, said there is a strong need for secure and reliable networks in the mining and energy sectors.
“The mining and energy sectors are fundamental to the Australian economy and TPG Telecom wants to help these sectors embrace new technologies, specifically in industrial automation,”Siva said.
“TPG Telecom, with its rich 4G and 5G spectrum holdings and significant scale, together with Nokia as a global leader in network equipment and solutions, have the building blocks to provide a compelling solution for the mining and energy sectors,” Siva added.
Some of the solutions to be offered include 5G terminals which will connect machinery and sensor assets to an IoT or operations platform to monitor productivity and safety of workers while also enabling real-time control and maintenance of mining and energy assets.
5G devices will also enable greater worker communication through improved voice, video and data services, and in the near future, augmented reality to access complex operational resources in the field, the partners said.
