Nokia Networks joins hands with Oi to develop IoT solutions in Latin America

NEW DELHI: Finnish telecom equipment maker Nokia Networks has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Brazilian telco Oi to develop Internet of Things (IoT) solutions for the Latin American market.

Oi is the largest telecommunications company in Brazil and South America, both in terms of subscribers and revenues. It is headquartered in Rio de Janeiro. Oi's major subsidiaries include Telemar and Brasil Telecom.

Under the agreement, both firms will set up a lab in Rio de Janeiro, focused on LTE-M technology.

The investments in innovation will be supported by a fund that will finance projects within IoT verticals such as agribusiness, connected cars, homes and smart cities and e-health. This initiative is based on a MoU signed by both companies at Futurecom 2015.

“The joint lab, focused on IoT using LTE, will be the first of its kind in Latin America. Expected to open in the first quarter of 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, the lab will bring advanced Cellular IoT solutions to the market, including LTE technologies for machine-to-machine communications, to meet the connectivity needs of future communication systems,” a statement said.

Through the IoT lab, Nokia Networks and Oi will engage in active collaboration with Brasil's industry players. The companies will also promote knowledge sharing and joint research with universities and local R&D institutes to drive an open IoT ecosystem.

"The new IoT lab in cooperation with Nokia Networks will allow us to come up with new technology ideas and place Brasil on the global map in terms of IoT development," said Pedro Falcão, Head of Head of Network Technology and Systems at Oi Brasil.

"Nokia Networks foresees a Programmable World of more than 50 billion connected things by 2025. From cars, home appliances and smartphones to industrial equipment and health monitors, devices will be combined in extraordinary ways to improve lives and create boundless possibilities for people and businesses. Through our collaboration with Oi Brasil, we will develop solutions and mobile technology to capture the exciting new opportunities," said Dimitri Diliani, Head of Latin America Market at Nokia Networks.