Press Release

Nokia and Kyndryl expand global network and edge computing alliance

• Three-year agreement extends plans to co-innovate and accelerate deployment of flexible, reliable, and secure LTE and 5G private wireless connectivity services and Industry 4.0 solutions.

• Kyndryl elevates its strategic investment in Nokia achieving the highest tier Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) accreditation status, increasing expert resources and skilled practitioners ready to support customers across the globe.

• Kyndryl and Nokia will launch a partner innovation lab in Raleigh, North Carolina, to bring advanced wireless connectivity and edge computing, integrated with a multi-factor zero trust model, converging IT and OT for enterprises.

14 February 2023

Espoo, Finland and New York, NY – Nokia and Kyndryl, the world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider, today announced a three-year extension and expansion of their global network and edge partnership, with a focus on developing and delivering industry-leading LTE and 5G private wireless services and Industry 4.0 solutions to customers worldwide.

Kyndryl and Nokia established their global network and edge computing alliance in February 2022. The partnership has since grown exponentially, with more than 100 active engagements with global enterprises, from advisory or testing, to piloting, to full implementation, across 24 countries. With a shared vision and commitment to help enterprise and mission critical infrastructure customers accelerate their digital transformations with leading-edge LTE and 5G private wireless networking, 90% of the current engagements are enterprises in the industrial manufacturing sector, including multinational petrochemical, mining and timber and utilities/energy companies.

Alejandro Cadenas, Associate Vice President of Telco and Mobility Research at IDC, said: “As enterprises seek to accelerate and deliver on their journeys towards Industry 4.0 and digitalization, the effective integration and deployment of advanced LTE and 5G private wireless networking technologies becomes instrumental to integrate all enterprise operations in a seamless, reliable, efficient and built in a secure manner. This expanding, powerful relationship between Nokia and Kyndryl is a unique combination of vertical and horizontal capabilities, and offers IT, OT and business leaders access to the innovation, tools, and expert resources they need to digitally transform their operations. The partnership offers a compelling shared vision and execution that will enable customers across all industries and geographies to access the ingredients they need to deliver against the promise of digital acceleration, powered by network and edge computing."

Story continues

The expanded effort will be enhanced with Kyndryl’s achievement of Nokia DAC Advanced accreditation status, which helps ensure that enterprise customers benefit from an expanded lineup of expert resources and skilled practitioners who have extensive training and deep understanding of Nokia products and solutions. In addition, customers will gain access to Kyndryl’s accelerated network deployment capabilities and support of Nokia cellular radio expertise in selected markets.

To meet the growing convergence and demands of IT and OT for enterprises, Kyndryl, Nokia, and Palo Alto Networks, the global cybersecurity leader, will launch a joint lab in Raleigh, North Carolina to bring reliable, secure, and auditable wireless connectivity to industrial networks. Through the collaboration, a multi-factor zero trust model for industrial networking is enabled at both the IT and OT sides of the network using the best tools and resources from each of the companies. Kyndryl’s network experts are developing an integrated system starting from the foundations of a typical Modbus process control network and extending access and security beyond the typical shop floor. Using Nokia DAC, private cellular connectivity enables high mobility and extended reach of the network.

Paul Savill, Global Practice Leader of Network and Edge computing at Kyndryl, said: “Our partnership with Nokia has been focused on co-innovating and co-creating for customers to digitally transform their workspaces and operations. The success we have seen in deploying private wireless for customers like Dow Chemical over the past 12 months, along with the global expansion of our collaboration, is a testament to our belief that we can jointly help companies drive Industry 4.0 transformation across all industries, with speed and scale.”

Chris Johnson, Head of Global Enterprise at Nokia, said: “Kyndryl and Nokia have a shared vision for digital transformation, and as leaders in our respective industries we are driven to grow this market together. We are excited to build upon our existing success and strengthen our alliance targeting more enterprise customers across multiple industries. We are currently exploring and developing new integrated solutions and services for Edge, Cloud, IP networking, Optics, Fixed Access, 4G and 5G Core, and Network Operations software technologies, which can address the growing demand for mission-critical, industrial-grade wireless networking.”

To date, Kyndryl and Nokia have successfully implemented a private wireless network with edge computing for Dow Chemical, at their petrochemical processing plant in Freeport, TX. The modernization of the Dow Chemical plant with advanced connectivity has increased worker safety, and enabled remote audio and video collaboration, and real time smart procedures.

At Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2023, Kyndryl and Nokia will unveil new device management services at the Nokia partner arena (Booth #3A20/2A2), showcasing Kyndryl’s auto-provisioning software leveraging Nokia’s customizable enterprise mobile capabilities on Nokia’s XR20 line of industrial-grade, ruggedized devices. The jointly-developed offerings will further enhance workplace connectivity solutions, and Excellerate productivity, employee communication, and in industrial scenarios enhance overall worker safety. Together, Kyndryl and Nokia are addressing the collaboration and operational needs that contractors and operators face in the field today. Additionally, Gretchen Tinnerman, Vice President, US Network and Edge Practice Leader at Kyndryl will join Nokia CEO, Pekka Lundmark, onstage during his MWC keynote address taking place Tuesday, February 28, 12:00-13:00 CET at the Keynote Stage, Hall 4.

Nokia has deployed mission-critical networks to more than 2,600 leading enterprise customers in the transport, energy, large enterprise, manufacturing, webscale, and public sector segments around the globe. It has also extended its footprint to more than 560 private wireless customers worldwide across an array of industrial sectors and has been cited by numerous industry analysts as the leading provider of private wireless networking worldwide.

Resources

Webpage: Kyndryl Network and Edge Computing

Webpage: Kyndryl Digital Workplace

About Nokia

At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

As a trusted partner for critical networks, we are committed to innovation and technology leadership across mobile, fixed, and cloud networks. We create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs.

Adhering to high standards of integrity and security, we help build the capabilities needed for a more productive, sustainable and inclusive world.

About Kyndryl 
Kyndryl (NYSE: KD) is the world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider serving thousands of enterprise customers in more than 60 countries. The Company designs, builds, manages and modernizes the complex, mission-critical information systems that the world depends on every day. For more information, visit www.kyndryl.com

# # #

Kyndryl Press Contact
press@kyndryl.com

Nokia Media Inquiries:

Nokia
Communications
Email: press.services@nokia.com

As 5G network deployment hastens across the world, their capabilities are growing also. As part of its continued efforts to support operators’ needs to offer advanced 5G functionality, Nokia has announced that international communications platform company BICS has strengthened its network with a software-defined networking (SDN) controller it has developed, while China United Network Communication Group (CUC) is trialling a 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) solution based on its converged multi-access gateway.

Through implementing the Nokia SDN controller into its network, BICS said it would be able to unlock more intelligent traffic routing and pave the way for network slicing of local and roaming traffic. The new intelligence module automates optimal traffic routing on the network, improving overall performance for consumers while laying the groundwork for 5G network slicing.

The SDN controller will be used to manage capacity and flow routing across its global network, monitoring routing paths across the network and making decisions to adapt and optimise traffic flow at all times. The SDN has been tailored to create a bespoke model for use cases specific to BICS’s needs.

While this move further strengthens BICS’s network in the short term, it also paves the way for future 5G use cases such as bandwidth calendaring and network slicing. These use cases mean more intelligent use of bandwidth across 5G networks, unlocking new options for meeting the growing connectivity requirements for enterprises. This improved network distribution is designed to work both on an application level, such as a network slice for public safety applications, or can be scheduled at predefined times, such as “calendaring” bandwidth every month for a cloud data backup.

As the industry implements 5G network slicing at scale, the SDN controller will be a key component for BICS to manage local and roaming traffic slices. This is particularly significant as current 5G slicing use cases are only for local traffic, meaning it opens the door for future use cases supporting global connectivity. This next level of innovation will depend on operators adopting 5G and slicing at scale in the future.       

The more immediate impact of this development is that BICS’s network will be better placed to serve low-latency and critical applications. Use cases such as live video streaming for safety applications, at an industrial site, for example, are seen as benefiting from lower latency and network reliability in the case of outages. This will be delivered via intelligent low-latency routing, meaning the SDN will find the most effective routes for each traffic type, automating switches to guarantee continuous connectivity.

“BICS is investing heavily in its software solutions ecosystem, and this new module is just the latest development in this effort,” said Jorn Vercamert, vice-president of products and solutions at BICS. “Greater network intelligence is worth investing in – it means even better service for our customers, and by extension, the end-customers of those operators.

“BICS’s network carries around half of the world’s roaming traffic, so this move re-affirms our strength in the global communications landscape and is also a future investment for when the industry fully moves to 5G and looks to deploy network slicing at scale.”

For its part, CUC will adopt the FWA technology for its existing network in Guangdong in the first such test in the China market. By integrating the fixed and mobile network, CUC will be able to scale network bandwidth and deliver more broadband services in the future to its customers through its 5G network.

The Nokia Multi Access Gateway is intended to enable CUC to minimise time-to-market and optimise network synergies by terminating both fixed wireless and wireline broadband services on its existing Broadband Network Gateway (BNG) footprint. The BNG is based on Nokia’s 7750 Service Router (SR), powered by its FP routing silicon and Service Router Operating System (SR OS).

The solution is claimed to offer “unrivalled” performance, scale and versatility in processing large traffic volumes from 5G user equipment, thereby enhancing the customer experience and evolving the fixed wireless network for future needs.

“We are pleased to work with CUC to explore this innovative solution in the China market. This solution will help CUC vastly extend the range, speed and capacity of its existing fixed wireless access network with increased 5G bandwidth utilisation,” said Markus Borchert, CEO of Nokia Shanghai Bell. “As a result, they will be able to enhance their business customers’ experience while also providing lower cost and TCO.”

The companies have implemented both technologies as proofs of concept at Nokia Bell Labs in Stuttgart, Germany

Finnish vendor Nokia, together with Japanese companies NTT Docomo and NTT, announced that they have achieved two key technological milestones on the path to future 6G systems.

Nokia said that the first tech milestone is the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into the radio air interface, effectively giving 6G radios the ability to learn. The second is the utilization of new sub-terahertz (sub-THz) spectrum to boost network capacity, the vendor added.

The involved companies noted that these technologies could pave the way for new immersive metaverse and extended reality (XR) experiences and a new generation of mobile applications. The companies have implemented both technologies as proofs of concept at Nokia Bell Labs in Stuttgart, Germany.

By pairing an AI-based learned waveform in a transmitter with a deep-learning receiver, Nokia Bell Labs, Docomo and NTT researchers were able to design and implement a learning air interface that transmits data efficiently under many different scenarios. This AI/ML-based implementation significantly reduces signaling overhead, producing up to a 30% improvement in throughput, the partners said.

In addition, the AI-native air interface will grant 6G networks the flexibility to adapt to the type of connection demanded by an application, device or user. For instance, a network in a factory can be optimized for industrial sensors at one moment and then reconfigured for robotic systems or video surveillance.

The partners also highlighted that the sub-THz bands have never been designated for cellular use because of their propagation characteristics, but new techniques such as beamforming could open up those frequencies to future 6G networks. These higher frequencies are well suited for high-accuracy radio sensing, which will likely be another key feature of 6G. In their proof-of-concept, researchers from these three companies were able to demonstrate a 25 Gbps connection on a single 256QAM stream over a carrier frequency of 144 GHz using beamforming.

Nokia, Docomo and NTT had initially launched their 6G collaboration in June, 2022, with the aim of jointly defining and developing key technologies for future 6G systems.

Commercial 6G services are expected to launch in 2030. 6G technologies have not yet been standardized.

Takehiro Nakamura, chief technology architect at NTT Docomo, said: “Through the collaboration, we continue to establish innovative 6G technologies and contribute to the global standardization and commercialization of 6G.”

“For the 6G era, we are using communication as a starting point. Networks will think, sense and act, and they will become the nexus point that bridges our digital and physical realities. Docomo and NTT share our 6G vision, and together we’re doing the fundamental research that will breath life into that future,” said Peter Vetter, president of Bell Labs Core Research at Nokia.

In June last year, NTT DoCoMo, Fujitsu and NEC announced joint 6G trials, with indoor trials scheduled for this year, followed by outdoor trials in March 2023.

Specifically, Docomo and Fujitsu aim to establish 6G wireless technologies for sub-THz communication using the 100 GHz and 300 GHz bands. A critical technology here will be distributed MIMO, which refers to multiple sub-terahertz wave antennas that are dispersed to simultaneously emit radio waves from multiple directions to a receiving terminal.

A mysterious, unannounced Nokia G22 phone was recently spotted in the GeekBench database. We still don’t have a lot of detail on the phone, but what is available doesn’t seem like a major upgrade over the existing Nokia G21.

Nokia G22 GeekBench result

GeekBench reports pretty low single and multi-core scores from an unnamed Unisoc chipset. An 8-core unit, clocked at 1.61GHz, our bet would be that it is actually the exact same Unisoc T606 as found in the Nokia G21.

While the chipset might be carried forward, at least GeekBench reports that the G22 is rocking 4GB of RAM, which hopefully suggests that the base 3GB RAM version from the G21 is no longer a thing. Last but not least, the benchmark result mentions Android 12. This means that G22 buyers can likely expect an upgrade to Android 13 and beyond in the future, whereas the G21 might eventually only end up with Android 13 since it launched with Android 11, and HMD is currently offering two years of software updates.

Source | Via

The demand for automation testers is rapidly growing, making them increasingly sought-after in the tech industry.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Software developers, quality assurance analysts and testers are expected to experience an explosive 25% growth from 2021-2031 – far outstripping the average rate of all other occupations.

On average, an astounding 162,900 job openings for software developers, quality assurance analysts and testers will be available annually over the next decade.

Since the demand for automation testers is quickly escalating, it is prompting more and more individuals to develop their skills in this area.

In this article we will briefly answer the following question:

• What is Software Automation Testing?
• Why is Software Automation Testing needed?
• What are the top 10 skills to learn in Software Automation Testing?

So, let’s get started!

What Is Software Automation Testing?

Software Automation Testing is an essential tool for businesses looking to ensure quality and accuracy in the software development process. It is the process of testing software using specialized tools and automated scripts to verify that our products are capable of meeting their desired performance standards and overall functionality.

Automation testing is a cutting-edge Software testing approach created to evaluate how the final product or service stacks up against pre-set expectations.

An Automation Tester, otherwise known as a SDET (Software Development Engineer in Test), is an individual who amalgamates the tasks of both a tester and developer.

Develop your knowledge of SDET and learn how to become an expert in the field by reading: What is SDET?

Why Is Software Automation Testing Needed?

• Automation testing minimizes errors, reduces manual effort, and helps developers quickly detect issues with their code.
• Automation makes testing easier and more efficient, allowing developers to focus on developing robust applications.
• By automating software tests, companies can identify problems quickly and efficiently, saving time and money in the development process.
• Automation also enables businesses to test a vast array of scenarios at once, giving them insight into how their application works under different conditions.
• Automation testing is essential for businesses looking to produce quality and reliable products on time.

What Are The Top 10 Skills To Learn In Software Automation Testing?

• Knowledge of Software Testing Principles and Concepts: To effectively test software, it is indispensable to have a thorough comprehension of the various principles that encompass the testing process- such as developing test strategies and designs, debugging systems, validating output results, automating frameworks and more.

• Programming Languages: Automation testers must possess a diversity of development skills–familiarity with an array of programming languages is critical. Java, C++, and Python remain some of the most prevalent languages used to create software applications.
• Having knowledge in one or more brings versatility to an automation tester’s skill set, enabling them to build powerful tools that drive software quality and reliability.

• Knowledge of Software Automation Testing Tools: In order to excel in automation testing, testers must have comprehensive knowledge and extensive practice using automation tools.
• Additionally, it is essential to understand which tool will be most suitable for the task at hand since each job may require different approaches and techniques to validate its success.
• Choosing the right software automation testing tool can be a daunting task, but there are many options available to choose from. Popular tools like Selenium, UFT/QTP (Unified Functional Testing), Cucumber, TestComplete, Appium and Ranorex have proven effective in streamlining test processes while ensuring accuracy and quality of results.

• Database Querying: Testing the data integrity of software applications requires an aptitude for writing complex queries against databases.Automation testers must possess the capability to craft intricate queries that can be employed against a database to guarantee the validity of any software application they are testing.

• Test Design and Execution: Automation testers must have comprehensive knowledge and expertise to design, develop, and execute test plans, scripts, and other strategies that guarantee maximum testing coverage.
• Automated tests are often used for regression testing, which means multiple rounds of tests will be conducted over time as the product or system evolves.
• This requires tests to not only detect bugs and errors but also to detect any changes that affect the existing tests.

• GUI Testing: Automation testers must have a comprehensive understanding of how to properly assess graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for both performance and functionality.
• Automation testing of GUI-based applications can help testers to detect potential security vulnerabilities in the software.

• Familiarity with Test Management Tools: To ensure an optimal level of quality, automation testers should be well-versed in popular test management tools such as HP Quality Center and TestLink among others.
• Furthermore, familiarity with defect tracking programs like Bugzilla, Mantis and JIRA is recommended to accurately keep track of any bugs that are found during testing.

• Documentation Skills:Automation testers need to have the ability to write clear, concise and detailed documents that accurately describe their tests: it is essential for the rest of the development team to be able to read, understand and use these documents.
• Good documentation increases accuracy when attempting to replicate tests and allows new team members to understand existing tests faster than if they had to start from scratch.

• Source Code Version Control:Automation testers should have a good understanding of source code version control systems for effective testing. Version control systems such as GIT, SVN, or CVS provide invaluable support for tracking and managing source code changes throughout the development process.
• These systems ensure that any changes made to the source code are tracked and can be reverted if problems arise. Automation testers who are familiar with version control systems can easily identify and review any changes that may impact their tests and verify whether those changes have been successfully incorporated into the available software builds.

• Soft Skills: Along with technical know-how, automation testers must also possess the essential soft skills to succeed. Automation testing involves working closely with developers, so it is important for automation testers to have excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Additionally, to be successful in software testing, it is imperative to have the ability to work as a team, think critically and solve problems quickly while also maintaining an efficient sense of time management.

Conclusion

Overall, software automation testing requires a variety of technical and interpersonal skills in order to be successful.

By honing the above-mentioned skills, automation testers can ensure that their tests are thorough and effective.

For those interested in pursuing a career in Software Automation Testing, it is essential to become knowledgeable of the required concepts and tools. A powerful way to master these theoretical and practical elements is by enrolling in an intensive Software Testing Course that offers comprehensive instruction.

Even experienced Automation testers should stay up-to-date on the latest trends in software testing and continue to build a broad range of skills relevant for their field and constantly strive to develop and elevate their skills, whether through an engaging Software Testing Course or attending a stimulating and informative conference. With the right skills in place, automation testers can ensure that software applications are properly tested and released on time.

Happy Testing!

Kyndryl, the IT infrastructure services provider, and Nokia, the networking technology specialist, have announced a three-year extension and expansion of their global network and edge computing partnership, with a focus on developing and delivering LTE and 5G private wireless services and Industry 4.0 solutions.

Kyndryl and Nokia established their global network and edge computing alliance in February 2022. The partnership has since grown exponentially, with more than 100 active engagements with global enterprises, from advisory or testing, to piloting, to full implementation, across 24 countries.

“As enterprises seek to accelerate and deliver on their journeys towards Industry 4.0 and digitalisation, the effective integration and deployment of advanced LTE and 5G private wireless networking technologies becomes instrumental to integrate all enterprise operations in a seamless, reliable, efficient and built in a secure manner,” says Alejandro Cadenas, Associate Vice President of Telco and Mobility Research at IDC. “This expanding, powerful relationship between Nokia and Kyndryl is a unique combination of vertical and horizontal capabilities, and offers IT, OT and business leaders access to the innovation, tools, and expert resources they need to digitally transform their operations. The partnership offers a compelling shared vision and execution that will enable customers across all industries and geographies to access the ingredients they need to deliver against the promise of digital acceleration, powered by network and edge computing.”

The expanded effort will be enhanced with Kyndryl’s achievement of Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) Advanced accreditation status, which helps ensure that enterprise customers benefit from an expanded lineup of resources and practitioners who have extensive training and understanding of Nokia products and solutions. In addition, customers will gain access to Kyndryl’s accelerated network deployment capabilities and support of Nokia cellular radio expertise in selected markets.

To meet the growing convergence and demands of IT and OT for enterprises, Kyndryl, Nokia, and Palo Alto Networks, a global cybersecurity leader, will launch a joint lab in Raleigh, North Carolina to bring rauditable wireless connectivity with advanced security capabilities to industrial networks. Through the collaboration, a multi-factor zero trust model for industrial networking is enabled at both the IT and OT sides of the network using the best tools and resources from each of the companies. Kyndryl’s network experts are developing an integrated system starting from the foundations of a typical Modbus process control network and extending access and security beyond the typical shop floor. Using the Nokia Digital Automation Cloud, private cellular connectivity will enable high mobility and extended reach of the network.

“Our partnership with Nokia has been focused on co-innovating and co-creating for customers to digitally transform their workspaces and operations,” said Paul Savill, global practice leader of Network and Edge computing for Kyndryl. “The success we have seen in deploying private wireless for customers like Dow Chemical over the past 12-months, along with the global expansion of our collaboration, is a testament to our belief that we can jointly help companies drive Industry 4.0 transformation across all industries, with speed and scale.”

“Kyndryl and Nokia have a shared vision for digital transformation, and as leaders in our respective industries we are driven to grow this market together. We are excited to build upon our existing success and strengthen our alliance targeting more enterprise customers across multiple industries,” said Chris Johnson, head of Nokia’s Global Enterprise Business. “The two companies are currently exploring and developing new, integrated solutions and services for Edge, Cloud, IP networking, Optics, Fixed Access, 4G and 5G Core and Network Operations software technologies, which can address the growing demand for mission-critical, industrial-grade wireless networking.”

Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2: One-minute review

Small is the word that will stand out the moment you open up the Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2's box. The box is small, yet the speaker is even smaller. Even with small palms, it barely takes up any room in one. But despite its tiny stature, the speaker packs in all the essentials. 

The Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2 offfers strong battery life for the size. We easily eked out 20 hours during our testing (Nokia says it can achieve up to 22) with a USB-C cable helping to get back up to fully charged quickly. 5W of sound is fine for the size, offering crisp audio no matter what you're listening to. Of course, the bass isn't exactly booming here and this isn't an audiophile-friendly speaker, but at $69 / £49 / AU$129, you wouldn't expect the world. It ranks among the best Bluetooth speakers for its low price.