• Open innovation platforms to be established in France at Nokia and Orange R&D facilities
• Joint definition and test platform deployment of 5G-based applications
• Focus on UBB, cloud RAN, massive MIMO, network slicing, energy efficiency and IoT applications
• Initiative to enable new services for consumer and vertical markets

Orange and Nokia have announced further collaboration to help develop new services that will be built around 5G and its networking capabilities, such as network slicing for dynamic resource allocation for targeted verticals. The two partners say they want to “drive the definition and development of these new services”, with a focus on making the transition from 4G to 5G network connectivity in the most efficient way in terms of power, operations and cost effectiveness, and with the highest level of quality and reliability.

Orange will use a range of Nokia’s solutions, inclusing its Flexi Base Station and AirScale radio access portfolio, to create applications to make use of 5G's ultra-low latency and ultra-high reliability. This work will also include the application of ultra-broadband leveraging new frequency bands, cloud RAN and massive MIMO, IoT, end-to-end network slicing techniques, and various energy efficiency techniques.

“Orange places innovation at the heart of its drive to deliver an unmatched customer experience,” said Alain Maloberti, SVP of Orange Labs Networks at Orange. “Working with Nokia, we are preparing the evolution of our networks from 4G to 5G, with multiple services on a single infrastructure to deliver a quality tailored for each service requirement.”

The two companies will also build on existing research collaboration between Orange Labs and Nokia Bell Labs and establish joint innovation platforms at the Nokia Paris Saclay premises on the outskirts of the French capital, and at the Nokia campus in Lannion, in Western France, in collaboration with two Orange's research and innovation sites – Orange Gardens in Chatillon and Orange Labs in Lannion. The companies will also open up the laboratories to work with their respective innovation partners, including local enterprises, vertical application providers and local start-ups, to accelerate the ecosystem that will be created around 5G.

“With our breadth of Radio, IP and Optics technologies, and the expertise of Bell Labs, Nokia is proud to be assisting Orange in the introduction of 5G and the application of the Future X Network paradigm,” said Marc Rouanne, chief innovation and operating officer at Nokia. “Through this collaboration, we will test 5G applications for different industry segments and measure the benefits of extremely short latency and very high speeds. We are also delighted to be applying our world-class R&D expertise in Paris and Lannion in this project.”