Tech
Nokia readies for comms AI super cycle with R&D facility | Computer Weekly
The city of Oulu in Finland has received a further boost to its prestige in the field of mobile communications research, design and manufacturing, with Nokia’s opening of what it calls the new home of radio, in the form of a research and development hub for the entire lifecycle of 5G and 6G radio innovation that will design, test and deliver next-generation networks built for artificial intelligence (AI).
And as the ribbons were being cut by Finland president Alexander Stubb to officially open the site, Nokia president of mobile networks Tommi Uitto said the company was embarking on developing the next generation of mobile technologies to address shifting market conditions driven by a forthcoming AI super cycle.
Nokia’s presence in Oulu goes back to 1973, when its radio technology department – with 25 employees and 16 trucks of equipment – moved from Helsinki to the city in Finland’s midlands just below the Arctic Circle, to engage in a secret military radio project. Since then, Nokia operations in Oulu have played a role in each success generation of mobile communications.
Stubb said its creation was a clear statement that it pays to invest in Finland. “It also says that network infrastructure is key – when you’re working on 5G or 6G, you’re creating the neural network of whatever we do in artificial intelligence, whatever we do in robotisation or internet of things,” he said.
Arkkitehtitoimisto ALA was the architect of the site for which construction was carried out by YIT, starting in the second half of 2022, with the first employees moving into the facility in the first half of this year.
Covering the entire lifecycle of product development, the site will host around 3,000 Nokia personnel from 40 nationalities working alongside universities, startups and technology companies in the Oulu region with the stated aim of shaping tomorrow’s networks. Overall, the footprint of the building is 55,000 square metres, including manufacturing, R&D and office space, and the campus will cover the entire product lifecycle of a product, from R&D to manufacturing and testing of the products.
Nokia stresses that sustainability is integral to the facility, with renewable energy used throughout the site, and all surplus energy generated fed back into the district heating system and used to heat 20,000 local households. The onsite energy station is claimed to be one of the world’s largest CO2-based district heating and cooling plants, boasting 100% waste utilisation rate and 99% avoidance in CO2 emissions.
Verification environments
The comms firm also boasts that the campus contains some of the world’s most advanced radio network laboratory and manufacturing technology, and will provide both simulated and real-world field verification environments to accelerate network evolution, ensuring that secure 5G and 6G networks are designed, tested and built in Europe.
The campus will also take advantage of Oulu’s ecosystem as a global testbed for networks both for civilian communications applications and defence. Nokia has a long-standing relationship with the university of Oulu, and has already begun research into prospective 6G technologies after providing support for 5G development.
A current project with the local university involves 5G-connected construction vehicles as part of a plan to build an autonomous low-emission swarm on infra construction machinery involving excavators, bulldozers, compaction machines and dump trucks. Partners in the project supplying the likes of machine control technologies on control technologies, LiDAR, vehicles, sensing systems and trucks include Novatron, Satel, Desitia, Moptel, Sisu Truck, GIM Robotics and Sandvik.
Current work in the defence sector includes a partnership with local firm Bittium, with whom Nokia is building real-time situational awareness through resilient and seamless communications across the battlefield. Nokia is also part of the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (Diana) Network creating services for Nato forces. Work in this field has encompassed dual-use technologies; extreme condition technologies; 5G/6G research and AI-enhanced networks; and next-generation hybrid networks allowing person-to-person connectivity between tactical and mobile networks.
There is no doubt that the onset of AI has radically transformed the communications industry over the recent past from the context of AI in networking and also networking in AI. But when the Oulu centre was in its design phase, let alone before the digging of the first shovel into the ground in 2022, AI super cycles were not envisaged even if some key applications such as video collaboration and gaming exemplified the need to bolster upstream connectivity capability on networks.
The immediate focus at the base will centre on 5G including 5GPP Standardisation, system-on chips, 5G radio hardware, and software and patents. The Oulu Factory, part of the new campus, will target production of Nokia’s 5G radio and baseband products.
In addition, Nokia said its research and innovation would cover product areas from massive MIMO radios such as Osprey and Habrok to next-generation 6G services, creating secure, high-performance, future-proof connectivity.
“Our teams in Oulu are shaping the future of 5G and 6G developing our most advanced radio networks,” said Nokia president and CEO Justin Hotard. “Oulu has a unique ecosystem that integrates Nokia’s R&D and smart manufacturing with an ecosystem of partners – including universities, startups and Nato’s Diana test centre.
“Oulu embodies our culture of innovation, and the new campus will be essential to advancing connectivity necessary to power the AI super cycle,” he said. “If you look ahead in the world that we’re in at the start of the AI cyber cycle, connectivity is only going to become more essential.
“As we think about where we are today, and the dependence we have on our mobile devices, that’s one step,” said Hotard. “But whether it’s augmented reality and virtual reality, drones, robotics, autonomous vehicles: there’s going to be many, many additional places where connectivity becomes essential to delivering, delivering the kind of innovation that will make the world smarter, safer and, ultimately, brighter. We really believe that [the new hub] is a core foundation of that innovation for Nokia.”
Expanding on his belief in the importance of ecosystems, he added that one thing he firmly believes in is that, in the world of technology, partnerships is everything. Hotard said that of all the successful technologies, such as cloud and mobile, there wasn’t just one successful firm. There were always partners, whether it was silicon and software, cloud and systems, and there was innovation through collaboration. This, he said, will be true with AI, where the early winners came through partnership and collaboration.
Demand cycle
Hotard stressed that such an ecosystem mindset was equally important for Nokia as it looked ahead with 5G and 6G in a marketplace that was going to go through another demand cycle in connectivity.
“I think we’re in a period where – you can call it digestion, you can call it balancing – the new applications haven’t formed yet,” he said. “For example, if you think about smart glasses, they create a very different profile for the network than mobile devices, because you’re uploading all of the content, and what’s coming down is much lower. That’s a transition.
“We haven’t seen that pivot yet,” said Hotard. “Those types of things will continue to evolve for us. It’s about investing in the core innovation and taking advantage of that opportunity. I believe the AI super cycle will drive investment in mobile infrastructure and mobility over time. And I think that’s going to continue for us. I think it is a massive opportunity.”
Uitto cited research backing up the emergence of these dynamics and the way in which upstream will gain importance. “The Bell Labs estimate is that mobile network traffic will grow at the pace of at least 19% – that’s the modest scenario,” he said. “There’s also a 28% CAGR scenario – five times over the next five to six years. So far, the growth in mobile traffic networks has been very much driven by video.
“However, now what we foresee is that AI will be driving further traffic growth [through] different types of AI applications,” said Uitto. “And it will also actually change, interestingly, the traffic profile so that the uplink performance from device to the network, that traffic will grow relatively speaking more than the downlink. And what this then drives is network investments. That that’s how we then indirectly benefit, also in the radio access networks from the use of AI.”
Radio technology
The upshot was that 6G would see Nokia looking at added investments in radio technology, in particular spectral efficiency improvements, and in being cloud-first and software-driven with open application programming interfaces (APIs). The latter would not be about monetising the APIs directly, but providing access to them.
Hotard was adamant that if you look at the lessons of 4G and 5G, the forthcoming 6G industry needs to provide new sources of monetisation other than just the network itself. How the ecosystem flows and takes advantage of that was, he conceded, maybe still a question, but he saw a great opportunity nonetheless.
On the subject of 6G monetisation opportunities, Uitto highlighted the architecture’s potential. For example, with a non-real-time RAN intelligent controller, there will be an interface on top of which you could write apps – some of which in turn could be used for monetisation. He also cited service management and orchestration, one of the hottest topics in mobility business, where there were opportunities for network slicing and also network-as-a-code on the core network side.
Going forward, Uitto held out the prospect of utilising cloud RAN. “If you built it in such a way that some of the computing for base station would be made with the AI-capable GPUs [graphics processing units] … then maybe some of that computing capacity could be sold to anybody who needs inferencing capacity,” he said. “You could imagine, in our wildest dreams, a base station site being a far edge cloud site capable of computing and inference.
“In 6G, there is also Isac, integrated sensing and communication, that should also open some new opportunities of monetising the network, because your radio is eventually capable of modelling the physical world as a digital twin, and then constantly monitoring the changes in the physical world,” said Uitto.
Interestingly, he saw the 6G deployment roadmap as beginning as an overlay on 5G standalone networks. Partly a matter of timing, he noted that 5G standalone was still scarcely deployed – especially in Europe – and by the time all 5G networks were standalone, that would be the signal to introduce G6 as a radio interface, partly AI-based and partly a deterministic AI air interface, coinciding with 5G standalone service management and orchestration.
Whether you’re a hardcore athletics aficionado or just nurturing a newfound love of hockey thanks to Heated Rivalry, the 2026 Winter Olympics have what you’re looking for.
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will take place across Milan and Cortina, Italy, throughout the month of February. A few competitions start on February 4, but the opening ceremony will be held on February 6 at 2:00 pm ET and will feature performances by Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli. Following the events, there will be a closing ceremony on February 22 at 2:30 pm ET.
As in Olympics past, this year’s games will be televised in the US exclusively by NBC. You can watch if you have cable or satellite TV. Cable coverage will be across several NBC channels, including NBC local affiliates, CNBC, and the USA Network.
The Games will also be shown live on NBC’s streaming service Peacock Premium, which requires a subscription of $11 per month. If ads drive you bonkers, the ad-free Peacock Premium Plus costs $18 a month. (Set a calendar reminder to cancel the service after the Olympics if you’re not planning to keep watching Traitors.)
Peacock will also bring back its Olympics hub website, which may be the easiest way to find the events you’re looking for. You can search and bookmark sports or events ahead of time and get notifications for when they go live. This might be especially useful depending on what time zone you’re in, as the games are all taking place in northern Italy, which is in the GMT+1 time zone.
For a full overview of all the events, check out the official Olympics competition schedule. If you’d like to see each and every competition listed in order by event time, we have you covered.
Looking for events by sport? Below is a list of the big events for them all, along with links to the full schedules of every event.
Note: Unless specified otherwise, all times below are listed in US Eastern time.
Opening Ceremony
The three-hour-long opening ceremony will air on nearly every Olympic media outlet on Friday, February 6. Live coverage starts at 2 pm Eastern and 11 am Pacific.
Alpine Skiing
Training for alpine skiing starts on February 4, but the competitive events kick off with men’s downhill on February 7 at 5:30 am. The first medal event for women’s downhill is February 8.
Medal events occur nearly every day through February 18. Final medal games start with the first men’s slalom run on February 16.
Women’s final slalom runs start February 18.
Biathlon
Biathlon events are the closest thing the Olympic games get to a James Bond movie. Skiers zip across mountain trails and then stop to shoot a gun. What’s not to love?
You can watch all the excitement starting with a mixed relay 4 x 6 km on February 8.
All events are medal events and go until the men’s 1- km mass start on February 20 and women’s 12.5-km mass start on February 21.
Bobsleigh
Bobsleigh—no, not bobsled, you philistine—events start February 12. One of the three sliding sports, bobsleigh is a team of two to four people sitting upright in a sled with their heads poking out. (As opposed to luge and skeleton, in which athletes lay on their sleds without sides or backing.)
Training events start on February 12 at 6:50 am. There are four bobsleigh medal events, starting with heat four of the women’s monobob on February 16.
You don’t need a four-figure Swiss movement to know what time it is—or look good doing it. One of the most wonderful things about “budget” watches today (although it’s kinder, or more appropriate, to say “affordable”) is that brands have learned to take design cues from luxury timepieces while quietly getting very good at the fundamentals: reliable movements, thoughtful materials, and proportions that don’t scream “cheap.” Take a look at the Orient in WIRED’s selection below as a prime example.
It could easily be argued that we’re in a golden age of affordable horology (see our full guide here for definitive proof), where, if you choose wisely, $350 or less can buy everything from a desirable dress watch, or a high-end collaboration, and even a supremely capable and classically chic diver. Pieces that will see you right from sunken wreck to boardroom table. And let’s not forget the retro allure of digital watches right now, either, with the Shark Classic not only being one of our favorites here, but at $70, it’s also the most affordable.
Moreover, should you decide to bag more than a few (and who could blame you at these prices?), we’ve even got the perfect carry case picked out: Nanuk’s IP67 waterproof and dustproof NK-7 resin $175 910 Watch Case (pictured above) with patented PowerClaw latching system—ideal for securing any timepiece collection, be it bargain or big budget.
Be sure to check out our other wearable coverage, including the Best Budget Watches Under $1,000, Best Smartwatches, Best Fitness Trackers, and Best Smart Rings.
Same as the Five Senses deck above, this scratch-off card set happens in sequence, with optional “level up” cards to really push intimacy, and separate cards for each partner with secret directions. For this date, you’ll both bring a red item that you show at certain points to signify that you’re open to physical touch. Then you’ll go out to dinner and have intentional conversation, and every time a partner pulls out the red item, you’ll follow the prompts to initiate increasingly intimate physical acts, ranging from hand holding to neck kisses. So there we were, at Illegal Taqueria, edging each other over al pastor tacos (I kid).
Many of the cards urged a partner not to interrupt or solve problems, but ask questions and talk dirty. My date said, “I think this may be for couples who hate each other.” I had to agree. The second part of the date involved driving and stoplights, but since we were in Brooklyn, we walked down the trash-filled sidewalk and pretended to be a suburban couple on the fritz instead.
The rest of the date included buying things for sexy time, like whipped cream and blindfolds. I’m vegan and had no desire to lick cream from chest hair, so we came home, stripped, and did our best to keep our eyes closed (in lieu of a blindfold). It was overall a strange experience for us both, I think. If you and your partner need a lot of prompting to connect, compliment, and be physical, this set is for you.
Date: Greg, 10/10 (Note: I didn’t find this man on Hinge; I met him the old-fashioned way, in a bar at 2 am.)
Box: 6/10
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