Nokia expands R&D operations in India

The new R&D lab will be one of the largest globally for Nokia and the actual largest for its Fixed Networks business, we’re told. It’s been set up to bolster the kit vendor’s fixed networks portfolio across fibre, wifi and fixed wireless technologies.

The hub will be put to task on working on 10G, 25G, 50G and 100G PON, Fixed Wireless Access, Wi-Fi and MDU tech, as well as access network and home controllers.

To ‘formalise’ the expansion of the Nokia R&D lab in Chennai, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Guidance Tamil Nadu and Nokia. The Government of Tamil Nadu will provide Nokia with infrastructure, regulatory and policy support for the project, and this ‘reinforces Chennai’s strategic importance in Nokia’s global operations and underscores the region's increasing prominence as a centre for technological innovation,’ says the release.

“Today, Tamil Nadu has evolved into a global destination of choice for R&D and technology services,” said Dr. TRB Rajaa, Hon’ble Minister for Industries, Government of Tamil Nadu. “Nokia has been a long-standing partner in Tamil Nadu’s growth story, and it is a matter of pride for us that the new facility, the largest fixed network lab within Nokia and probably the whole world, will be in Chennai. This is a result of path-breaking initiatives of the Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru. MK Stalin, like Naan Mudhalvan and the Tamil Nadu R&D Policy 2022, which have also led to unprecedented investments. It is our endeavour to sustain this momentum and generate high-value employment opportunities for our youth.”

Vimalkumar Kothandaraman, Head of Fixed Networks for Asia Pacific at Nokia, added: “Our R&D footprint in Chennai is critical to our Fixed Networks strategy. This investment highlights our dedication to India and global technology advancements, and allows us to further leverage the abundant talent pool in the region. This MoU solidifies our collaboration with the Tamil Nadu government to jointly drive telecom industry innovations, expanding our world-class R&D hub in Chennai.”

On Friday Nokia released a statement in response to a story claiming that it is contemplating exiting the mobile networks business with Samsung’s reportedly registering some ‘preliminary interest’. In a stock exchange release the kit vendor said: “Nokia has nothing to announce in relation to the speculations published in an article today, and no related insider project exists.”