NOKIA SOLUTIONS AND NETWORKS GMBH &CO KG

Their core work

Nokia Solutions and Networks is the German R&D arm of Nokia's mobile network infrastructure business, designing and building the physical and software layers that make 5G and beyond-5G wireless networks work. Within H2020, they contributed radio access architecture, network slicing, mobile edge computing, and fronthaul/backhaul transport solutions across the full 5G standardization lifecycle. They also participated in advanced materials research (Graphene Flagship) and terahertz communications, pushing toward 6G-era hardware components. Their work sits at the intersection of telecom infrastructure engineering and applied research on next-generation wireless technologies.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

From 2014 to 2017, Nokia's H2020 work was squarely focused on defining 5G: radio interface standards, millimetre-wave access, fronthaul/backhaul integration, and the foundational PPP coordination projects (5-Alive, EURO 5G, METIS-II). From 2017 onward, the focus shifted toward applying 5G to vertical use cases — particularly connected and automated driving (5GCroCo, 5G-CARMEN) and mobile edge computing — while simultaneously investing in post-5G technologies like terahertz communications and graphene-based electronics. This trajectory shows a classic move from "build the standard" to "deploy for industry" to "explore the next generation."

Nokia is positioning for 6G through terahertz hardware and advanced materials research, while monetizing 5G expertise in automotive and edge computing applications.

How they like to work

Nokia primarily joins as a participant (34 of 39 projects) but takes the coordinator role on high-impact architecture projects — all four coordinated projects were flagship 5G design efforts with significant budgets. With 539 unique consortium partners across 31 countries, they operate as a hub organization, connecting diverse academic and industrial players across the European telecom ecosystem. Their pattern suggests they lead when defining core network standards but prefer contributing specialized expertise when the project is application-focused or outside their core domain.

Nokia has collaborated with 539 unique partners across 31 countries, making them one of the most connected organizations in European 5G research. Their network spans the full telecom value chain — from chipmakers and antenna designers to automotive OEMs and road infrastructure operators.

What sets them apart

Nokia is one of only a handful of industrial players that participated in nearly every phase of 5G development in H2020 — from early vision projects through standardization, architecture design, and real-world cross-border trials. Their combination of deep telecom infrastructure expertise with emerging investments in graphene electronics and terahertz hardware makes them a bridge between today's 5G deployments and tomorrow's 6G research. For consortium builders, partnering with Nokia brings not just technical depth but also access to one of Europe's largest collaborative networks in digital communications.

Highlights from their portfolio

• 5G NORMA
  Largest single EC contribution (EUR 1.6M) and Nokia-coordinated — defined the multi-service adaptive 5G network architecture that influenced later projects.
• 5G-CARMEN
  Largest participant-role budget (EUR 1.1M), applying 5G New Radio to cross-border automated driving corridors — a high-visibility deployment trial.
• GrapheneCore2
  Unexpected for a telecom company — Nokia's participation in the Graphene Flagship signals serious investment in post-silicon materials for future communications hardware.