Elisa has joined a project aimed at making the Finnish city of Tampere “smart” through the use of mobile and fixed technology.
The operator joins fellow Finnish telco Nokia, which signed up to the Smart Tampere project last month.
Elisa will build modern fibre and mobile networks in the city as it looks to position itself as a frontrunner for 5G technology.
The aim of Smart Tampere is to research, test and deploy solutions to improve the quality of life of citizens and also increase its attractiveness to businesses and investors.
Among the areas of focus are smart lighting, remote care for the elderly through video and a real-time public transport information system.
Mika Railosalo, Elisa’s Vice President of Regional Sales and SME Sales in the Corporate Customers unit, said: “Elisa’s involvement in the Smart Tampere project is a step towards 5G. Collaboration with the City of Tampere and the other organisations involved in the project from the earliest phases will enable smart infrastructure and digital connections to be built and to form the basis of the 5G network of the future.”
Tero Blomqvist, the Director of the Smart Tampere programme, added: “The citizens of Tampere are highly motivated to develop a digital ecosystem for the city and to build a smart city. Elisa is a natural partner for us as it has significant expertise in data communication connections and solutions, and it is also playing a major role in developing the modern economy, both in Tampere and in Finland as a whole.”