Finnish telecommunications service provider Elisa has announced new 5G agreements with Nordic vendors Ericsson and Nokia.
Ericsson has been selected for a comprehensive 5G technology deployment spanning 5G Core and 5G Radio Access Network (RAN). The new agreement includes both 5G Non-standalone (5G NSA) and 5G Standalone (5G SA) products and solutions.
Ericsson Cloud Packet Core products and solutions are already live in Elisa’s 5G network. As part of the partnership extension, Ericsson says it is now deploying its dual-mode 5G Core solution to add support for standalone technology in Elisa’s network.
Under the partnership, the Swedish vendor will deploy 5G RAN products and solutions, from the Ericsson Radio System portfolio, starting next year. The network operates on 3.5 GHz and 26 GHz frequency bands.
Ericsson Spectrum Sharing for both 5G Standalone and 5G Non-Standalone will also be deployed as part of the deal. Ericsson Spectrum Sharing will allow Elisa to improve its mid- and high-band coverage through carrier aggregation with 5G in lower bands, the vendor said.
“Our 5G Core and RAN technology leadership will further enhance Elisa’s ambitions to deliver the benefits of digitalization, the Internet of Things and Industry 4.0 to its customers,” said Börje Ekholm, president and CEO of Ericsson. “This partnership with Elisa also underlines our growing strength in Europe in 5G Core and RAN. We remain determined to be the trusted partner of choice for operators across Europe as they commit to 5G.”
Ericsson currently has 109 commercial 5G agreements and contracts with unique communications service providers, of which 60 are publicly announced 5G deals, including 62 live commercial 5G networks.
Meanwhile, Nokia announced that it has also been selected by Elisa as a nationwide supplier of 5G RAN equipment. Nokia, which will provide its AirScale 5G RAN portfolio, says it will deliver ultra-fast mobile broadband services to both consumer and enterprise customers.
Nokia said it will supply its AirScale 5G Radio Access portfolio for enhanced mobile connectivity, as well as additional use cases such as Massive IoT and Ultra-Reliable Low Latency services (URLLC).
The project will also focus on mobile network technology migration so that new radios will serve both 5G and 4G subscribers across Finland.
“Nokia has a long-standing partnership with Elisa, which we are excited to extend into the 5G era as their strategic supply partner,” said Pekka Lundmark, president and CEO at Nokia. “Together we have delivered many technology ‘firsts’, including installing the first-ever commercial liquid cooling 5G base station, which highlights our shared commitment to decreasing emissions while providing world-class connectivity. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Elisa on its ambition to digitize Finnish society.”
Nokia had already announced 160 5G engagements, 99 commercial 5G deals and 34 live 5G networks.
