Nokia Networks, Telecom Italia partner to bring innovation power of startups to telco industry

• Sign Memorandum of Understanding on joint scouting of technology companies
• Key terms of agreement include working with innovative startups in new and emerging telecom domains

Espoo, Finland - 1 December 2015

Nokia Networks and Telecom Italia, the leading Italian ICT group, have come together in a world-first pioneering initiative to inject innovation into the telecommunications ecosystem. The companies have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on technology scouting of innovative startups to identify prospective partners in mutually agreed areas such as NFV, SDN, RAN Evolution and next generation SON.

With the proliferation of technologies and the increasing complexity of products and services, startups can help companies implement externally developed solutions and create new business and market opportunities. Under the two-year agreement, Nokia Networks and Telecom Italia will seek and evaluate the innovations, implementing new solutions in their respective portfolios.

Key terms of the agreement:

• Joint technical scouting of innovative startups in the areas of Network Function Virtualization (NFV), Software-defined Networking (SDN), Radio Access Network (RAN) and next-generation Self Organizing Networks (SON)
• Proof-of-Concept deployments of systems, solutions and services
• Partnership for innovative offerings and investment in technologies

Sandro Dionisi, Executive Vice President and Director of Global Advisory Services at Telecom Italia, said:

"Collaborating with Nokia Networks on this scouting program will open up the opportunity to introduce new network technologies in strategic areas, faster than before, guaranteeing the support of a leading OEM like Nokia Networks. The initiative will give us access to innovators, mainly but not only in Silicon Valley, speed up and improve technical development, leading to newer and better services for our consumers."

Hossein Moiin, Executive Vice President and CTO at Nokia Networks, said:

"Startups are a rich source of innovation that can provide building blocks for various telecom and digital services. In particular, we see immense potential in areas such as NFV, SDN, RAN Evolution and SON. Together with Telecom Italia, we will further engage with the wider ecosystem of technology companies, identifying disruptive innovators and developing new solutions in these domains."

Did you know?

• The number of startups has been exploding all around the world. Joint scouting of innovative start-ups and initiatives can maximize the opportunity of discovering the relevant companies, optimize the outcomes and maximize the impact.
• Nokia Networks and Telecom Italia are longstanding partners for nearly two decades. Throughout the partnership, Nokia Networks has been one of the main infrastructure suppliers to build the operator's mobile broadband network. Among other important deployments, the companies have also tested the benefits of HSUPA 16QAM technology, collaborated in active antenna development, and implemented innovative software capabilities in Telecom Italia's Service Operation Center.