Nokia’s IMPACT IoT platform has been in ascendancy for some time. Now the very mobile-centric firm wants to explain what a key role fixed networks will play in the connected device seamless communications era of the future.
As a platform for IoT software management, Nokia’s IMPACT offering manages data collection, event processing, device management, data contextualization, analytics, end-to-end security and applications for a variety of devices & protocols.
But despite its mobile roots, when looking at the emerging architectures of the IoT, Nokia’s voice stems from its fixed networks division. Quote how the firm engineers between the two worlds (of fixed and mobile) and subsequently presents a complete picture to the software application developers who its works with at this level is not quite as clear.
5G & IoT
Fixed network divisional president Federico Guillen insists that fixed networks will play a key role in achieving network transformation and true convergence with mobile as we move into the ‘seamless communications’ era of 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Guillen has looked at the rising demand for gigabit broadband in a world where 47% of households globally are still off-line and only 7% have over 10Mbps of service.
Despite European Commissioner Juncker’s ambitions for a so-called ‘Gigabit society’, there are many unanswered questions here i.e. do we consider the ‘whole world’s’ connectivity or just Europe and/or North America?
“The world needs Gigabit speeds and we are seeing many countries making major moves in that direction as they look to improve their economies and societies,” said Guillen. “A few years ago some people saw mobile as the only technology and, to some, fixed, wireline networks were effectively ‘dead’. The reality is, however, that fixed is very much back, stronger than ever and it is a necessary technology to realize our gigabit societies of the future, delivering higher speeds than mobile and being highly complementary.”
Mobile is going fixed
Guillen insists that while the world is going mobile, mobile is going fixed.
“This is especially true in the world of 5G and if we are to cope with the incredible opportunities of the IoT as we move towards digital societies of the future,” he added.
Guillen’s comments comes after Nokia announced it was expanding its G.fast micro-node portfolio to provide higher densities and longer loop lengths from cabinets and distribution points.
The company has also introduced programmability and automation in the copper access space to accelerate G.fast deployment by 50%.
What all this points to is the rise of a new type of software engineer. The new role with be something like a Cloud/Comms IoT Network Operations Programmer (or CIoTNOP perhaps)?