Deutsche Bahn
Nokia inks TIM Brazil IoT contract and supplies Deutsche Bahn 5G automated rail operation
Finnish tech provider gains Wings in the IoT arena with Brazilian telco TIM, as well as providing 5G-based network for automated rail operations in Germany
In a flurry of activity, Nokia has landed its first Worldwide IoT Network Grid (Wing) deal in Latin America, as well as a tender with Deutsche Bahn to deliver and test what is said to be the world’s first 5G-based network for automated rail operation.
Brazilian telco TIM has engaged Nokia to provide internet of things (IoT) services to its enterprise customers in Brazil.
Nokia claims that with Wing, the telco will be able to develop new business models to tap opportunities and generate additional revenue streams. Additionally, it says incremental services, such as device management and analytics, will help TIM extend SIM management capabilities to create value-added opportunities.
TIM’s enterprise customers will now be able to monitor and manage in real time their devices, ranging from asset tracking and status sensors for logistics industries to the fully connected car with onboard diagnostics and telematics. As part of the deployment, the Nokia Impact IoT platform will provide IoT device management and service capability exposure. Wing’s distributed architecture maintains all user data in-country to remain compliant with data sovereignty and privacy laws.
Commenting on the deployment, Alexandre Dal Forno, head of corporate products and IoT solutions at TIM Brazil, said it was seeking to leapfrog the IoT market and see strong growth in B2B. “We are looking forward to engaging with other global IoT players to bring the best possible IoT experience to our customers,” he said.
Digitisation on track
With Deutsche Bahn, Nokia has won a tender to test and deliver what is said to be the world’s first standalone 5G system for automated rail operation in Hamburg. The project is part of Deutsche Bahn’s highly automated S-Bahn operation project.
The proof-of-concept will test whether 5G technology is mature enough to be used as the connectivity layer for future, digitised rail operations. The project constitutes an early and important step in the development of the Future Railway Mobile Communications System (FRMCS) standard, based on 5G, and sets the stage for the digital transformation of railway operations.
By 2021, as part of the project Digitale S-Bahn Hamburg, highly automated trains – that is those with human drivers on board who retain responsibility for safety – are expected to operate on a 23km section of the S-Bahn Line 21, starting at Berliner Tor, one of the main transport hubs in Hamburg. Part of the demonstration will include fully driverless shunting of empty trains in an area near Bergedorf station, based on the transmission of train control information over the Nokia 5G mobile network.
The 5G solution is based on 3GPP standards for 5G mobile networks, allowing automated trains to exchange relevant data with trackside equipment by 5G radio. Nokia believes its solution will have positive effects on cross-border operation, capacity of rail infrastructure, punctuality of trains and also on customer experience.
Read more about Nokia
- IT behemoth Microsoft and comms technology provider Nokia forge first joint solutions, to enable communications service providers and enterprises to accelerate digital transformation.
- Nokia proposes new way for telcos to meet the inevitable rising cyber security threats posed by 5G-enabled networks.
- Three firms – Nokia, NTT Docomo and Omron – have banded together to test the feasibility of running a layout-free production line operated by 5G-connected robots and human technicians.
