When it comes to 5G, few names in the market are all over the place in the development of the next-generation mobile network technology. Nokia is one such vendor that has been actively involved in 5G projects by collaborating and assisting operators across the globe. In a new development, the Finnish vendor Nokia will expand its partnership to cover 5G technology with Telia and Telenor. Nokia will become the sole supplier of 5G RAN for a Telia and Telenor joint network in Denmark. The joint network currently serves 3 million customers. The collaboration effort of upgrading to 5G will first cover Denmark’s four largest cities before expanding to most customers in 2022.
5G Spectrum Pulled by Operators Earlier This Year
The 5G rollout plans by Telenor and Telia joint network (TNN) comes after the operators picked up a 3.5 GHz spectrum in a multiband auction earlier this year. Nokia will now support the modernisation of TNN under this new 5G deal. Nokia will provide its Airscale 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) portfolio and Massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) antennas to upgrade TNN’s infrastructure to support 5G networks. Nokia has stated that since TNN’s launch in 2012, the vendor has worked with both operators for over a decade. Their most recent project was to trial 5G network technology on a shared network. It is because of their collaboration in this project that resulted in Nokia being selected as the sole 5G RAN supplier.
Telenor and Telia Own Equal Share in The Joint Network
The joint network between Telenor and Telia operates over 4,300 sites. Both the operators hold 50 per cent ownership in the joint network. Telenor and Telia control separate retail brands in Denmark. They compete against operators like TDC and 3 Denmark. All of these four Denmark operators commenced their 5G services in the country in the second half of 2020. Telenor Denmark’s CEO Lars Thomsen has commented on the 5G RAN deal and the nationwide rollout of the 5G network by saying that will the upgrade to the 5G network, people of Denmark will experience higher speeds and better coverage in both urban and pre-urban areas.
