Under the deal, Bell Canada will roll out Nokia’s Cloud RAN solution, which is designed to be compatible with both existing and future O-RAN systems
Bell Canada and Nokia have expanded their collaboration to include Cloud RAN deployment and the groundwork for Open RAN integration, the Finnish vendor said in a release.
As part of the agreement, Nokia will provide Cloud RAN software and Open Fronthaul-compatible radios, allowing Bell to transition its network architecture over time. The deployment will integrate Nokia’s AirScale portfolio, Red Hat OpenShift and Dell Technologies infrastructure.
Under the deal, Bell will roll out Nokia’s Cloud RAN solution, which is designed to be compatible with both existing and future Open RAN systems. Dell PowerEdge servers will be installed at cell sites and data centers to support network processing needs.
Bell will also implement Nokia’s AI-driven network management platform, MantaRay NM, which is designed to optimize network operations across different radio and core technologies. The use of a cloud-native architecture based on Red Hat OpenShift is intended to improve scalability and adaptability in network operations.
Bell Canada’s senior vice president of Networks, Mark McDonald, said: “Our expanded partnership with Nokia represents a pivotal moment in Bell’s 5G journey. By leveraging Nokia’s cutting-edge Cloud RAN technology, we’re not only significantly enhancing our network capabilities today, but also building a robust foundation for the future adoption of Open RAN. This approach ensures network agility, scalability and vendor diversity, ultimately delivering an exceptional experience for our customers and positioning Bell as a leader in 5G innovation.”
Nokia’s President of Mobile Networks, Tommi Uitto, added: “This important contract extension with our partner, Bell, highlights the strength of our RAN technology portfolio and our anyRAN approach that enables gradual RAN evolution with feature and performance consistency. We are proud to support Bell on their cloud journey, which will bring the readiness and scalability to enable new use cases and drive new revenue models for 5G monetization.”
Bell offers 5G services via spectrum in the 3.5 GHz and 3.8 Ghz spectrum bands. Bell began deploying 3.5 GHz wireless spectrum in the summer of 2022, introducing its “5G+” service to areas across Ontario, Atlantic Canada and Western Canada. Bell now offers 5G+ coverage to nearly 51% of the Canadian population.
Bell first announced the launch of its commercial 5G service in the country in June 2020. The carrier’s 5G service was initially available in Montréal, the Greater Toronto Area, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.
In 2020, Bell Canada selected Ericsson 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) technology to support its nationwide 5G mobile and fixed wireless access deployment. The carrier started the construction of its 5G network in 2021, using equipment from Finnish vendor Nokia.
