Nokia agrees 5G transformation deal with BT

As part of the deal, the Finnish manufacturer of mobile phones, Nokia, will provide equipment and services at BT radio sites across the UK to evolve BT’s radio access network to 5G and support its goal of maintaining the UK’s best network.

BT’s Nokia-powered network which already includes Greater London, the Midlands and rural locations will be extended to cover a number of other towns and cities across the United Kingdom. This enhanced Nokia footprint will support BT’s commitments to the UK Government around the use of High Risk Vendors (HRVs) in UK network infrastructure.

Under the terms of the agreement, Nokia will supply its AirScale Single RAN (S-RAN) portfolio for both indoor and outdoor coverage, including 5G RAN, AirScale, base stations and Nokia AirScale radio access products. These solutions are expected to allow BT to expand on its existing network leadership in the UK to deliver connectivity and capacity benefits to consumers at ultra-low latencies, as well as decrease complexity and scale cost efficiencies. The deal will also mean Nokia will optimise BT’s 2G and 4G networks while collaborating with BT on the development of the OpenRAN ecosystem.

As part of BT’s network transformation, the operator will also leverage Nokia Software’s ng-SDM and NetAct network management platform, supporting the network transformation to 5G. In addition, Nokia will provide digital design and deployment for a quicker time to market, as well as optimisation and technical support services.

Philip Jansen, CEO, BT Group said: “Digital connectivity is critical to the UK’s economic future, creating jobs and underpinning sustainable growth. That’s why BT is making game-changing investments in full fibre and 5G. In a fast-moving and competitive market, it’s critical we make the right technology choices. With this next stage of our successful relationship with Nokia we will continue to lead the rollout of fixed and mobile networks to deliver stand-out experiences for customers.”

Pekka Lundmark, President and CEO, Nokia, added: “I am delighted that BT has extended its partnership with Nokia on 5G RAN, making Nokia BT’s largest infrastructure partner. Our two companies have collaborated for over a quarter of a century in order to deliver best-in-class connectivity to people across the United Kingdom. We are proud to support BT’s 5G network evolution and look forward to working even more closely together in the years to come.”