Finnish telecom equipment manufacturer Nokia unveiled the ‘Nokia DAC (Digital Automation Cloud) PW (Private Wireless) Compact,’ a 5G private wireless solution tailored for small-to-mid-sized industrial sites. Initially launched in the US, operating on the Citizens Band Radio Service (CBRS), the Nokia DAC PW Compact is made accessible through Nokia-certified reseller and system integration partners such as DXC Technology, Future Technologies Venture LLC, Graybar, and Trilogy NextGen.
Customers can select from three predefined configurations designed for swift deployment, tailored to their specific site requirements. These configurations include an Opex-based model with zero upfront investment and a predictable monthly fee. Additionally, the solution operates via the standard DAC O&M toolkit and can be efficiently managed and maintained through various service-level agreements provided by the partnered organizations.
Nokia asserts that the DAC PW Compact is up to 60% more energy-efficient than Wi-Fi, leading to a significantly lower energy footprint. The company highlighted the hindrance poor connectivity poses for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in achieving their full revenue potential. Citing an ABI Research study, Nokia stated that the logistics sector alone is losing over $664 million in annual revenue due to insufficient connectivity, a gap that mission-critical private cellular technology like the Nokia DAC PW Compact aims to bridge. The solution is suitable for small enterprises in diverse sectors such as ports, manufacturing, mining, petrochemicals, retail, and other industrial segments. It offers configurations for indoor, outdoor, and mixed radio coverage.
As enterprises expand their private wireless deployment, the solution provides an upgrade path, allowing the addition of incremental capacity, users, radio configurations, and integration of Wi-Fi technology. Furthermore, the deployed edge can be converted into Mission Critical Industrial Edge (MXIE).
Stephan Litjens, Vice President of Enterprise Campus Edge Solutions at Nokia, stated, “Nokia DAC PW Compact will become an important building block for Nokia and its channel partners to create a value proposition around private cellular that is easy to understand and digest for enterprises, particularly in the logistics sector where warehouses, and other segments like ports and airports that might only need a handful of 5G radio units to achieve high levels of constant coverage.” Leo Gergs, Principal Analyst at ABI Research, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the solution’s pivotal role in addressing connectivity challenges for various industries.
