Nokia partners with Microsoft for new phone service

Nokia’s slogan used to be Connecting People and now the Scandinavian company has partnered with Swedish carrier Tele2, Microsoft and charity Reach for Change to do just that.

Using technology from Microsoft, Nokia has developed a phone service which offers real-time translation to and from the Syrian dialect of Arabic to English, to help newly arrived Syrian refugees settle in more easily in Sweden.

The project, Call Together, is now being piloted with four pairs of friends – four Swedish youth and four newly arrived youth from Syria and is designed to aid integration and establish relations between the newly arrived and Swedes.

“This is a great example of how more creative and innovative solutions can open up our society for children and adolescents who have come to Sweden. The service can hopefully become a great tool for organizations such as Kompis Sverige, who are doing a fantastic job pairing unaccompanied youth with established Swedish youth,” says Sofia Breitholtz, CEO of Reach for Change.

Microsoft recently released the Syrian dialect of Arabic which enabled the service.

Peter Wennerström, Head of CBT Nordic and Baltic, Nokia, comments: “We are excited to test this solution and see how it can be applied. It is essential that people living in Sweden can understand and engage with societal functions in the country, regardless of the language they speak. Once this technology is ready for mass use, there will be no limits to the communication potential it can unlock in society. With this initiative, Nokia – in cooperation with its customers – can connect the unconnected and bring the benefits of technology to our communities.”

Viktor Wallström, VP Communications, Tele2 AB, comments: “Tele2 is always looking to innovate and to create better lives for children. We are happy to combine these passions in this project that aims to enable unaccompanied refugee youth to live a more connected life and hence participate and contribute to society to a greater extent. I look forward to seeing the results from the pilot period and the positive change we can accomplish together with Reach for Change and Nokia.”

Read more about Reach for Change here.

Source: Tele2