Tech Mahindra exploring 5G and 6G development in Finland
IT services and consulting firm Tech Mahindra is set to establish an innovation and research lab in Finland, following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with Business Finland, a government-backed consulting and networking firm. The partnership will look into 5G and 6G research.
The research will focus on developing industry applications for the new technology, exploring its potential economic value. Tech Mahindra will have the freedom to experiment with a variety of new products in the Finnish Lab, launching pilots and implementation programmes to gauge the new technology.
Business Finland is a public sector organisation devoted to facilitating business in the country, primarily by supporting domestic firms with becoming internationally competitive and meeting industry standards. The organisation also facilitates networking between business leaders and experts.
As part of the collaboration, universities, research centres, businesses and government agencies across Finland will have access to the new Tech Mahindra Lab and its facilities, giving them significant exposure to the potential of 5G and 6G technology. For Tech Mahindra, the innovative opportunity is invaluable, given the potential for 5G to transform the economy.
A Deloitte report from last year indicated that proper exploration of 5G potential could take India’s economy past the $1 trillion mark by 2025. Part of this process will be driving user adoption of 5G, which is also looking promising. KPMG reported last year, that India will have 90 million 5G users by 2025.
Finland, meanwhile, has emerged as a thought leader in the 6G space, having recently published a report contextualising the new technology, and detailing the research that would be required to harness its potential. Tech Mahindra is now set to help with this process.
Commenting on the partnership, Finnish Minister for Employment Timo Harakka said, “The MoU between Tech Mahindra and Business Finland is an excellent step forward in the close collaboration between Finland and Mahindra group. Business Finland will work together with Tech Mahindra to explore the possibility of establishing 5G/6G Innovation Hub in Finland. I am sure that this cooperation will be mutually beneficial and provide great opportunities for both Finland and Tech Mahindra.”
Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Growth at Tech Mahindra Jagdish Mitra added, “The Finnish technology ecosystem is one of the most progressive in Europe. Their strategic focus on building ‘technologies for the future’ has been the cornerstone, and the initiative towards developing 6G technology and further working on 5G use-cases aligns well with our TechMNxt charter, which is our global initiative to leverage future technologies to solve real business problems. Our collaboration with Business Finland and the newly setup Innovation Centre will enable us to leverage their expertize in this space and establish us as a globally recognized leader in 5G and 6G.”
