Not many people that clutch a Nokia mobile phone in their hand realise just how this company has evolved over time – from pulp mill to global handsets leader and now burning with unrelenting desire to lead the programmable world where technology is second nature.
On May 12, 2015 Nokia celebrated 150 years of its existence having been founded in 1865 as a riverside paper mill in rural south-western Finland by Fredrik Idestam.
Still, very few realise the critical role the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations agency responsible for standards and regulations for the communications industry for the entire world, plays in seeing that we communicate in a responsible manner at the best quality possible with little or no interference between and among nations.
On May 17, 2015, the ITU celebrates its 150 years marking the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention and the creation of the International Telegraph Union in 1865. Although Nokia predates ITU even if by just five days, the company and the institution have touched – and will continue to touch – the lives of billions across the world.
Nokia’s history started in 1865 when mining engineer Fredrik Idestam established a ground wood pulp mill on the banks of the Tammerkoski rapids in the town of Tampere, in south-western Finland (then, part of the Russian Empire). In 1868, Idestam built a second mill near the town of Nokia, 15 kilometres (nine miles) west of Tampere, by the Nokianvirta river, which had better hydropower resources. In 1871, Idestam, with the help of close friend and statesman Leo Mechelin, renamed and transformed his firm into a share company, thereby founding Nokia Ab.
The company’s name came from the Nokia town and the Nokianvirta river.
For a century and a half since 1865, the ITU, which meanwhile has marshalled massive anniversary plans to be celebrated from May 17 right through till the ITU Telecom World in Budapest, Hungary, October 12-15, has been at the centre of advances in communications – from telegraphy through to the modern world of satellites, mobile phones and the Internet.
The ITU enthuses: “150 years is only a brief interval in the recorded history of mankind. Yet those 150 years have been extraordinarily significant in terms of human progress and discovery. One of the most remarkable advances of the past 150 years has been the incredible increase in both the speed and variety of human communications.
“First we saw the telegraph and the telephone, then radio and television, followed by satellite communications and the internet – heralding a new era of ubiquitous connectivity over the past twenty years. It is difficult to imagine how we communicated in 1865 – with no phones, no email, no instant messaging or SMS. Even the telegraph wasn’t available for personal use, so the most common method of long-distance communication back then was to send letters carried on horseback or by ship. The exponential growth of science and technology over the past 150 years is fascinating – and it is part of ITU’s story.
“The story of ITU is one of international cooperation, among governments, private companies and other stakeholders. The continuing mission is to achieve the best practical solutions for integrating new technologies as they develop, and to spread their benefits to all.”
The UN agency on communication says: “2015 will be a commemoration year that we wish to celebrate with all our members – including governments, private companies, and other stakeholders.”
On its part, Nokia marked its 150th anniversary on May 12 with employee celebrations around the world, in what the company described as “the perfect way to reflect on the remarkable history of a company on the cusp of a major transformation aimed at unlocking the opportunities of the Programmable World.”
From Espoo to Beijing, Bangalore to Buenos Aires, Nokia employees gathered to toast a company which began as a pulp mill in south-western Finland in the 19th century, rose to global prominence thanks to its prescience and prowess in mobility, and now has set its sights on the human possibilities of a connected world.
“Today is a moment for all Nokia employees, and indeed all people who have been touched by Nokia over the years, to celebrate a truly significant milestone in the company’s history,” Nokia President and CEO Rajeev Suri said.
“Our history is one of change: from paper to cables, rubber boots to TVs, and mobile phones to the Nokia of today. For 150 years we have embraced such change, emerging stronger as a result, and our recent Alcatel-Lucent announcement marks another such pivotal moment. We are moving forward with conviction, confidence and humility, fully focused on realizing the potential of an increasingly connected world,” Suri said.
As a forerunner in the mobility industry, Nokia has already started the debate about what this connected world will mean with make-tech-human, a conversation about technology, its role in society, and whether it truly serves humanity. The goal is to identify opportunities and challenges created by technology, and then shape the future in a positive direction through conversation, awareness, and content.
In 1982 Nokia introduced the first car phone – the Mobira Senator – to the network, and later that same year the Nokia DX200 – the company’s first digital telephone switch – went into operation.
In 1984, Nokia launched the Mobira Talkman portable car phone and in 1987 the Mobira Cityman, the first handheld mobile phone for NMT networks, was introduced.
Nigeria features prominently in Nokia’s history, with a special place on the handsets distribution as the country emerged from a phone-hungry era to a liberated period with mobile phones as the default means of communication: Nokia sold its billionth phone – a Nokia 1100 – in Nigeria in 2005.
Describing its own evolution in part, Nokia declared: “The Nokia of today is the result of two major transformations carried out in recent years: the purchase of Siemens’ share of what was then Nokia Siemens Networks in 2013, followed by the sale in 2014 of substantially all of the Devices & Services business to Microsoft.
“What has emerged is a strong, global technology company with three powerful businesses, each a leader in its respective field. Nokia Networks holds leading positions in most segments where it competes, including 4G; HERE is by far the strongest player in mapping services for the automotive industry; and Nokia Technologies continues to build and license one of the strongest and broadest patent portfolios in our industries.
“All businesses are focused on a world where almost all people and billions of devices – 50 billion or more by 2025 – are connected; where software holds the connections together, where analytics bring meaning, and where automation brings simplicity and efficiency.
“It is from this foundation of strength that Nokia announced the next step in its transformation on April 15, 2015: the combination with Alcatel-Lucent to create an innovation leader in next generation technology and services for an IP connected world. Planning for this transaction is already underway, and the company continues to expect it to close in the first half of 2016.
“The proposed transaction is subject to approval by Nokia’s shareholders, completion of relevant works council consultations, receipt of regulatory approvals and other customary conditions.”
By MKPE ABANG