Telia expects to reach nationwide coverage in Norway with its 5G network next year
Telia Norway has signed an agreement with the Norwegian Defense Materiel Agency with the aim of developing tactical private 5G networks, as well as a virtual private network implemented as a part of Telia Norway’s national 5G network.
“We have tested 5G for several years to explore how the defense sector can benefit from the technology. We are now taking another step forward by entering into agreements with commercial mobile operators to develop tactical, private 5G networks that can be combined with the national 5G networks currently being established,” said Eiliv Ofigsbø, head of the CIS division at the Norwegian Defense Materiel Agency.
“Secure communication is a requirement for the Armed Forces, both in times of peace and crisis, and it is our task at the Defense Materiel Agency to deliver systems that make this possible. It is important that we consider new technologies such as 5G, and that we understand how to best benefit from the expertise and infrastructure that already exists in the civilian sector,” Ofigsbø added.
Telia noted that the architecture of the 5G network ensures that the data from the Armed Forces can be kept separate from other traffic in the public mobile network through network slicing technology. Telia also highlighted that security is already high in 5G networks, with SIM authentication of all devices, encryption of traffic and licensed radio spectrum. Nevertheless, the Defense Materiel Agency will put additional encryption on top in a private network setup for the Armed Forces.
Jon Christian Hillestad, VP Enterprise of Telia Norway, said: “Our experience with private networks in our Enterprise Mobile Network portfolio fits perfectly into such a project. The objective is to be able to deliver tactical, private networks as well as a virtual private network as a slice in Telia Norway’s nationwide public 5G network as a managed service to the Armed Forces within a few years. This is like a network within the network”, Hillestad added.
“We will be first in Norway with a nationwide 5G network in 2023 and invest heavily into developing a secure, reliable and robust mobile network that will benefit all our customers,” the executive added.
The enterprise mobile network portfolio from Telia Norway includes dedicated private networks, hybrid mobile networks, virtual private mobile networks, as well as specialized services in the public mobile network.
Last month, Telia Norway and Ericsson carried out 5G tests using mmWave spectrum, achieving download speeds of close to 4 Gbps.
The 26 GHz mmWave tests in the Norwegian cities of Oslo, Trondheim and Lillestrøm will explore coverage and capacity indoors, outdoors and in densely populated areas.
Telia and Ericsson have been collaborating with industry and academia to develop various 5G use cases, such as self-driving trucks, a driverless ferry trial in Norway, and a driverless electric minibus trial in Stockholm, Sweden.
The two companies said they are currently seeing great opportunities for 5G as a platform for innovation in the enterprise market, as a wide range of industries can take advantage of 5G connectivity to improve the speed and efficiency of operations, enabling automation, VR and AR applications.
