Globalstar, a provider of mobile satellite voice and data services, and telecoms giant Nokia have announced a partnership to deploy a digitization platform utilizing 3GPP Band 53 spectrum. A shared solution is being showcased at the Globalstar stand at AfricaCom.
The solution allows enterprises to deploy intelligent network applications in a dedicated spectrum band. It is based on Nokia’s industrial-grade private wireless Digital Automation Cloud platform together with Globalstar’s 3GPP Band 53 spectrum.
Both companies successfully collaborated on the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) process to standardize this specific band of spectrum, designated as Band 53. The companies say that their strategic alliance further expands the opportunities for both Globalstar and Nokia in terms of development, innovation and application across countries, industries and use cases. Nokia is already offering Band 53 access points and user end devices (UEDs) such as modems, ruggedized handsets and tablets.
In its bid to develop a harmonized utilization of Band 53 for terrestrial private LTE/4.9G deployments across the African continent, Globalstar has secured rights from the authorities in South Africa, Mozambique, Gabon, Botswana and Rwanda.
Globalstar MSS solutions provide complementary connectivity to end-user assets and employees when outside the Nokia Digital Automation Cloud network in remote areas, such as mining installations, or oil, gas and energy sites.
This 4IR/IoT partnership allows both companies to introduce digitization solutions to the African market that can be adapted for use across multiple industries. Band 53 enables the deployment of comprehensive solutions that can cover all operational requirements regardless of location, say the partner companies.
As the partnership evolves, Globalstar and Nokia say they anticipate the expansion of their commercial relationship to create new opportunities for business.
