Nokia, StarHub will jointly drive IoT momentum in Singapore

Nokia yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with StarHub to jointly drive Internet of Things (IoT) momentum in Singapore.

The two companies plan to develop new IoT use cases and applications in the areas of connected living, connected vehicles and connected buildings, with plans to offer commercial services to customers in Q118. The alliance between Nokia and StarHub to enable easier and more rapid development of IoT services will help enterprises discover and capitalise on Smart Nation opportunities and capabilities.

Nokia will support StarHub and its partners in the development of use cases such as for smart parking, environmental sensors and video analytics. Nokia will also help StarHub promote the benefits of IoT technology through various activities, including developer outreach programmes and participation in IoT-related events. In addition, Nokia Bell Labs will provide added consultancy services to StarHub and its enterprise customers to accelerate Singapore’s IoT market momentum.

Dr Chong Yoke Sin, Chief, Enterprise Business Group at StarHub, said: “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. 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.”

Nicolas Bouverot, head of Asia South Market Unit at Nokia, said: “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.”

In April 2016, Nokia Bell Labs reported that the number of IoT connected devices is expected to grow from 1.6 billion in 2014 to between 20 and 46 billion by 2020. The organisation said that while its models for 2020 showed that 67% of the worldwide consumption demand forecast could be met by Wi-Fi, with another 14% potentially addressed by the current adoption rate of 3G, LTE, small cells and the emergence of new technologies such as 5G, IoT would be an unknown in the equation.