Nokia, Tampere University partner to develop custom silicon 5G chipsets

The joint venture will establish a Center of Excellence to introduce technology into Nokia's ReefShark chipset portfolio and enhance the telecom giant's silicon capabilities and development of proprietary SoCs. Set to launch in November 2020, the CoE will create a new ecosystem that will reinforce the domains of SoC design and microelectronics whilst accelerating the development of industrial 5G networks in Finland.

Nokia today announced its collaboration with the Tampere University of Finland to expedite the development of silicon-based System-on-Chip (SoC) custom processors for its ReefShark chipset portfolio.

The partnership aims to accelerate the development of proprietary SoC chipsets, including their design and manufacture, to improve time-to-market and to build a long-term SoC development competence and a foundation for technology leadership, Nokia said in a press release.

The joint venture will establish a Center of Excellence to introduce technology into Nokia's ReefShark chipset portfolio and enhance the telecom giant's silicon capabilities and development of proprietary SoCs. Set to launch in November 2020, the CoE will create a new ecosystem that will reinforce the domains of SoC design and microelectronics whilst accelerating the development of industrial 5G networks in Finland.

"The ecosystem will create new opportunities for matching design expertise with industry demands. The goals are to disseminate knowledge of System-on-Chip design, increase expertise and attract more professionals to the SoC sector where the demand for expertise is high," the Tampere University said in a release.

The project is led by Nokia and supported by Business Finland via Nokia's Veturi initiative that drives industrial 5G and ecosystem development with industry partners and leading universities.

Commenting on the collaboration, Ari Kynaslahti, Head of Product Management at Nokia said, "This important collaboration highlights our continued commitment to developing our ReefShark chipset portfolio and ensures that Nokia 5G solutions deliver best-in-class performance to our customers. We look forward to working closely and collaboratively with Tampere University on this exciting venture."

Furthermore, Nokia said it will also explore the areas of machine learning, artificial intelligence, security hardware development and open-source hardware-based SoCs. On the other hand, Tampere University will introduce new study modules in the field of computer engineering, electronics and communications engineering which will also provide an opportunity for working professionals.