Germany-based managed system integrator Xantaro Group has been recruited by US private networks specialist Celona to sell its private 5G system into European enterprises. Celona joins Nokia, at least, in its roster of private 5G products. It flagged the viability of the Celona system for a range of industrial applications, including process automation, intelligent production lines, secure device connectivity, automated guided vehicles, and IoT devices.
Xantaro Group has a history with Finnish vendor Nokia, notably on rollout of fibre access technology to UK homes, with the former supplying around 10 alternative (‘alt-net’) service providers as part of the deal, covering much of the UK. The pair are newly engaged with regional UK broadband provider Wildanet to build and install street cabinets and exchange solutions for a full fibre network for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in the UK.
A social media post from the end of last year said Xantaro Group was offering Nokia’s DAC and MXIE private-edge network-and-compute products to Industry 4.0 customers in Germany. The Nokia system appears to have underpinned its test facility at its office in Frankfurt, which is cited as a key customer offer in its new deal with Celona. It appears from a press note that Silicon Valley based Celona has superseded Nokia in the Xantaro pecking order.
Jürgen Städing, chief strategy officer at the firm, said: “We consider [Celona] to be the most dynamic and innovative provider of private wireless solutions for enterprise customers. This allows us to combine our expert know-how in the planning, implementation, and operation of private [5G], even under the most difficult conditions, with leading technology. Together, we offer a unique portfolio of solutions that is unrivalled on the market.”
Paul Donovan, vice president for the EMEA region at Celona, said: “Celona has a partner at its side who has the highest level of expertise in the European market in the field of private 5G campus networks. [It] has a modern 5G laboratory [to] conduct performance tests for us, monitor compliance with European specifications, and test new software releases before the rollout to suit the EU market. Thanks to [its] broad market base, there is already a very close feedback loop from customers via Xantaro to Celona, supporting… development of new functions.”
Xantaro Group works with mobile operators and other service providers, as well as enterprises. It claims more than 300 customers, and offers the full design-build-run services wrap for enterprise networking systems, covering planning, design, build, implementation, operation and maintenance of components and services of completely different network layers and manufacturers: – “from optical transport systems to IP/MPLS service platforms”.
It also offers carrier Ethernet products, data centre and virtualisation solutions, and voice and video applications, and develops IT security solutions and “AI-based” platform and service offerings.. The firm has 190 staff at offices in Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne, Hamburg, and also London in the UK. It said: “Xantaro is now strengthening its offering with one of the leading innovators in the field of private wireless solutions for companies.”
