Nokia picks Singapore to show what a great idea IoT is

A collaboration between Nokia and Singapore operator StarHub will try to develop all kinds of IoT services and maybe even launch a few of them.

As we move from the testing phase of tech megatrends such as IoT and 5G into the ‘this is why everyone should care’ phase, we’re seeing an increasing number of initiatives designed to highlight their utility in the ‘real world’. Huawei recently combined with LG U+ for a spot of 5G virtue-signalling, and now this.

So serious are Nokia and StarHub about their collaboration that they even signed a memorandum of understanding to seal the deal. They now plan to develop new IoT use cases in the areas of connected living, connected vehicles and connected buildings, and might even offer commercial services as soon as Q1 2018.

“A large component of Singapore’s Smart Nation initiative involves the deployment of IoT devices in the environment, including in the home, along streets and in parks, and in offices,” said Dr Chong Yoke Sin, Chief of the Enterprise Business Group at StarHub. “The granular data derived from these sensors will allow enterprise customers to understand and gain insights from their customers, improving operational efficiencies and aid in long-term planning.

“We will leverage Nokia’s IoT technology to help address urban challenges faced by our government and commercial customers. We also look forward to building viable business models on this nascent technology.”

“We are honoured to be working with StarHub to help maximize the gains from the vast potential of IoT,” said Nicolas Bouverot, head of the Asia South Market Unit at Nokia. “We are committed to supporting service providers in IoT to gain new customers and add new revenue streams. Nokia is at the forefront of the evolution of IoT, and our insights will enable StarHub to build and deploy high-value services and business models.”

Nokia seems to be on a bit of a tour of East Asia at the moment, having issued a separate announcement to talk up its Gfast partnership with Japanese company EneCom. This is part of the drive to update Japan’s VDSL network and supposedly paves the way for XG-FAST if EneCom fancies it.

StarHub has also had some other big news recently, with its CEO deciding to call it a day after four years at the helm. This seems to be an orderly departure and Tan Tong Hai will hang around long enough to help find his replacement and give them some top tips.