Nokia has been selected by Indian operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to supply, deploy, and manage its new ‘smart telecom poles’ in India, which will support 4G, 5G and IoT connectivity, as well as lighting and controls, and a range of additional smart city sensors.
The new lighting / telecoms poles, designed for emerging markets and built in India, will also feature mobile connectivity, alongside smart LED lighting systems, CCTV cameras, digital billboards and environmental sensors.
BSNL, in line with the Indian government’s ‘smart cities mission’, is exploring ways to digitise Indian cities. Nokia will help it provide access to mobile connectivity and smart solutions for citizens while ensuring the poles meet the aesthetic and spatial needs in modern cities, it said.
The new poles can be adapted to diverse geographical environments and climate conditions, Nokia said. It also houses a custom-designed power backup solution to provide continuity of services during power outages.
Anupam Srivastava, chairman and managing director at BSNL, said: “Telecoms can make a great impact on people’s lives and with the new technologies and innovation, that opportunity will only grow. Nokia is already one of our key partners in deploying our network around the country, and we’re delighted to be working with them on the smart pole opportunity and showcasing our capabilities for the future smart cities.”
Sanjay Malik, head of Nokia in India, said: “We have the ability to customise the solution for various use cases to meet India’s smart city infrastructure requirements. By supporting BSNL’s smart city initiatives with the latest solutions and services, we also help build the increasingly digitised and connected India of the future.”
For more on this topic, check out Enterprise IoT Insights‘ new report and webinar, titled How to buy / sell a smart city – procurement models to make every city smart, to be published on November 5. Sign up to the Enterprise IoT Insights newsletter here to get the next instalment in the 5X5 series, updates about the report, and related news. Register for the webinar here to hear from speakers from AT&T, Cisco, the City of Cardiff, Cradlepoint and Navigant.
