Nokia will supply India's Jio with 5G networking equipment in multi-year deal

Nokia scored another big 5G contract in India – carrier Reliance Jio has signed a multi-year deal for the supply of 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) equipment for what will become one of the largest 5G networks in the world.

The Finnish company will deliver equipment from its AirScale portfolio, including base stations, high-capacity 5G Massive MIMO antennas and Remote Radio Heads (RRH) as well as self-organizing network software.

Jio plans to launch a 5G standalone network, which will interwork with its 4G network. The carrier is massive with 420+ million customers - subscribers who switch to 5G are expected to see speeds up to 10x higher than what they are getting on 4G.

With today’s announcement Nokia has deals in place to supply India’s three largest carriers with equipment (a deal with Vodafone Idea was announced in May, with Airtel in August).

Akash Ambani, Chairman Reliance Jio, commented: “We are pleased to be working with Nokia for our 5G SA deployment in India. Jio is committed to continuously investing in the latest network technologies to enhance the experience of all of its customers. We are confident that our partnership with Nokia will deliver one of the most advanced 5G networks globally.”

Pekka Lundmark, President and CEO at Nokia stated: “This is a significant win for Nokia in an important market and a new customer with one of the largest RAN footprints in the world. This ambitious project will introduce millions of people across India to premium 5G services, enabled by our industry-leading AirScale portfolio. We are proud that Reliance Jio has placed its trust in our technology and we look forward to a long and productive partnership with them.”

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