Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Telia picks Nokia as exclusive 5G RAN provider in Finland

Telia named Nokia as its exclusive provider of 5G RAN in Finland in a five-year deal. Nokia has also been chosen as the supplier of 5G standalone (SA) core in Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden in the Nordic and Baltic regions. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The upgrade in Finland will see the modernization of at 7,500 mobile sites. Nokia’s 5G core and Cloud Packet Core (CPC) portfolios will also enable Telia to build a scalable, unified 5G SA core network, an expansion of the current core network from Nokia.

Telia activated the first pre-commercial 5G networks in Helsinki, Vantaa and Oulu in Finland in September 2018. The carrier launched commercial 5G at the beginning of 2019, and the accelerated roll-out has continued to 42 cities in Finland, with a population coverage of over 25 percent. 

Allison Kirkby, President and CEO of Telia Company, says: “Our networks have never been more important and are the foundation of a thriving digital economy. Nokia is our sole supplier of 5G standalone core in all markets and of radio network technology in Finland. We share a long history of close collaboration with Nokia, particularly in Finland, and I look forward to continuing this partnership by delivering the best network for our subscribers.”