Nokia has been selected by VodafoneThree in a major eight-year agreement to supply equipment from its AirScale Radio Access Network and Core Networks portfolio in the UK. This strategic partnership marks Nokia’s return as a RAN supplier for the combined Vodafone and Three network following their recent merger. The deal is part of Europe’s largest privately funded telecommunications infrastructure project, with VodafoneThree investing £11 billion to provide 5G coverage to 99% of the UK population by 2034.
Max Taylor, CEO of VodafoneThree, said, “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.”
Under the agreement, Nokia will deploy its energy-efficient AirScale RAN equipment to approximately 7,000 sites across the UK. The technology, powered by ReefShark System-on-Chip, includes ultra-performance Habrok Massive MIMO radios, multiband Pandion Remote Radio Heads, and advanced baseband solutions to support future bandwidth and capacity needs. VodafoneThree customers are expected to benefit from faster speeds, improved reliability, expanded coverage, and enhanced quality of service. The deployment will also help reduce the digital divide in rural areas.
In addition, Nokia will maintain the existing Three UK core network and provide its intelligent network management system, MantaRay NM, enabling a consolidated view for optimal monitoring and management. VodafoneThree’s existing active RAN sharing arrangement with VMO2 will continue, with Nokia providing the necessary MORAN configurations.
Justin Hotard, President and CEO at Nokia, said, “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.”
Following the merger, VodafoneThree is now the UK’s largest mobile operator with unmatched spectrum assets. Nokia’s technology will allow the company to maximize spectrum use, deliver high-capacity 5G services, and provide a premium customer experience while supporting growth in mobile traffic and advanced applications.
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