Nokia announced it has been selected by VodafoneThree in a significant new eight-year deal to supply equipment from its market-leading AirScale Radio Access Network (RAN) and Core Networks portfolio in the UK. This strategic win represents Nokia's re-entry as a RAN supplier in the UK market for both Vodafone and Three's combined network operations following their recent merger. The deal is part of the largest privately funded telecommunications infrastructure project in Europe, with VodafoneThree's announced investment of £11 billion that will see 5G coverage delivered to 99% of the population in the UK by 2034.
"We said we would deliver at pace and, just a few months in, we are delighted to be working with trusted strategic partners such as Nokia, to deliver our ambition of building the UK’s best network. They bring the scale and expertise needed to accelerate the delivery of a resilient, secure, world-class and future-ready network, and together, we are laying the foundations for the UK’s digital future.”
Max Taylor, CEO, VodafoneThree
Under the agreement, Nokia will provide equipment from its energy-efficient, industry-leading AirScale RAN portfolio to approximately 7,000 sites nationwide, powered by its ReefShark System-on-Chip technology to support VodafoneThree's network modernization across the UK. This includes the latest generation of ultra-performance Habrok Massive MIMO radios, multiband Pandion Remote Radio Heads, and baseband solutions to support future bandwidth and capacity requirements. VodafoneThree’s customers will benefit from improved network speeds, reliability, coverage, and quality of experience. The deployment will also reduce the digital divide in some rural areas in the UK. Nokia was also awarded a separate deal to maintain the existing Three UK core for years to come.
"Today’s networks need new levels of performance, trust, and resilience. We are pleased that VodafoneThree has chosen our industry-leading network solutions to build a future-proof 5G standalone network across the UK to meet the needs of customers today and as the AI supercycle accelerates."
Justin Hotard, President and CEO at Nokia
VodafoneThree will also benefit from Nokia’s intelligent network management system, MantaRay NM, which provides a consolidated network view for optimal monitoring and management. Vodafone's existing active RAN sharing agreement with VMO2 will be maintained under the deal, with Nokia providing the relevant MORAN configurations.
The recent merger confirmed VodafoneThree as the UK’s largest mobile operator with unrivaled spectrum assets. Nokia’s technology will enable VodafoneThree to make best use of the spectrum to deliver a future-proofed, high-capacity network that supports growth in mobile traffic and enables advanced 5G services, delivering a premium customer experience.
Source: https://www.nokia.com/newsroom/nokia-wins-significant-5g-deal-with-vodafonethree/
