Nokia has announced a significant milestone in its partnership with Japanese mobile operator NTT Docomo by signing a contract for the expansion of its 5G network. Under the agreement, NTT Docomo will be using Nokia’s Open RAN (O-RAN) compatible 5G AirScale baseband solution for commercial operations. This marks a new level of cooperation between the two companies, as Nokia has previously provided RAN services for 3G networks and helped NTT Docomo with its 4G strategy.
As part of this collaboration, Nokia is leveraging its expertise in providing advanced networking solutions to help NTT Docomo navigate the complexities of implementing a 5G network. The introduction of the 5G network represents a major step forward in their partnership, as it aims to enhance the capabilities of NTT Docomo’s network and ensure that it is equipped to handle the demands of 5G technology.
Beyond providing technology solutions, this partnership also represents a collaborative effort between two companies to drive innovation and deliver cutting-edge telecommunications services to customers in Japan. With Nokia’s Open RAN compatible 5G AirScale baseband solution in place, NTT Docomo will be well-positioned to offer high-quality and reliable 5G services to its users. This partnership underscores both companies’ commitment to delivering the latest in telecommunications technology to the Japanese market.
NTT Docomo has been working towards expanding its 5G network since last year when it announced plans for commercial deployment of its first wave of 5G sites by March next year. It has been testing different vendors’ equipment including Huawei, Ericsson and Cisco System’s for this purpose.
Nokia’s Open RAN (O-RAN) solution provides an end-to-end platform that enables operators like NTT Docomo to deploy and manage their own radio access networks without having to rely on third parties for support or maintenance.
The announcement comes after months of speculation about which vendor would provide equipment for Japan’s biggest mobile carrier’s fifth generation network expansion plan.
Overall, this partnership highlights how important it is for operators like NTT Docomo to have reliable partners who can provide advanced networking solutions that enable them to keep up with evolving technologies such as 5G.
