Finnish vendor Nokia announced that it has been selected by A1 Austria to provide 5G coverage across the country in a multi-year contract.
Under the terms of the deal, Nokia will supply 5G radio access and core network services. The deployment of products and services is underway, with the network core expected to be rolled out in the first half of 2021, Nokia said in a release.
Nokia will supply A1 with its AirScale portfolio, including 5G RAN, AirScale base stations and Nokia AirScale radio access products.
A1 will also launch 4G and 5G network slicing commercially following a successful pilot. The solution will support connectivity from 4G and 5G devices over the sliced network to applications running in private and public clouds. The vendor noted that the slicing continuity between the networks allows operators to maximize their network coverage for new mobile connectivity services and deliver new value and business opportunities.
Nokia had previously partnered with A1 for the expansion of 3G and 4G mobile networks and the rollout of what it claims to be Austria’s largest fiber-optic network. Nokia and A1 Austria have also deployed a number of private wireless campus networks in Austria, including installations at Magna Steyr, Vienna Airport, and 5G Playground Carinthia.
“Our ambition is to ensure Austria enters the digital era with the best connectivity underpinned by our 5G network,” said Marcus Grausam, CEO, A1 Austria. “With Nokia as our partner, we have already worked side by side on many successful projects and we had no hesitation in continuing our collaboration to ensure that we realize the full potential of 5G technology.”
“We are delighted to extend our long-standing partnership with A1 Austria into the 5G era by supplying our RAN and core technology. We have already worked collaboratively with A1 on a number of exciting projects and we take this expansion project as an affirmation that our technology is best-in-class,” said Tommi Uitto, president of mobile networks at Nokia. “We look forward to embarking on this next journey as their trusted partner.”
Telekom Austria’s subsidiary A1 commercially launched 5G services in January 2020.
At the time of the launch, the telco said that its 5G network will cover 350 locations across 129 municipalities in Austria.
The company claimed its “A1 5Giganetwork” will be the largest 5G network in Austria, spanning 54,000 square kilometers.
A1 acquired 5G spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band in March 2019.
