Nokia expands 5G network in France with 4-year Orange deal

Nokia and Orange France have extended their 5G partnership through a four-year contract aimed at upgrading radio infrastructure and enhancing network performance across Southeastern and Western France.

Partnership scope: The agreement centers on implementing Nokia’s AirScale portfolio to boost customer experience through improved speeds, capacity, and network performance.

• Nokia will deploy O-RAN-compliant 5G AirScale solutions, including baseband units and Massive MIMO Habrok radios
• The implementation includes multiband remote radio heads from Nokia’s Pandion portfolio
• ReefShark System-on-Chip technology will power these solutions to enhance network efficiency and coverage

Technical innovations: The collaboration introduces advanced network management capabilities and explores cloud-native architecture transitions.

• Orange France will trial Nokia’s 5G Cloud RAN solutions as part of their move toward cloud-native network architecture
• The partnership integrates AI-powered MantaRay network management solution to optimize mobile infrastructure performance
• The solutions are designed to cover all use cases and deployment scenarios across Orange’s network

Industry perspectives: Key stakeholders from both companies emphasize the strategic importance of this partnership extension.

• Orange France’s CTO highlighted how Nokia’s equipment portfolio will enhance customer experience while reducing environmental impact
• Nokia’s President of Mobile Networks stressed that their energy-efficient solutions will deliver premium connectivity experiences
• Both companies emphasize the importance of sustainability in network operations

Future implications: The partnership represents a significant step in France’s 5G infrastructure development while balancing technological advancement with environmental responsibility.

• The four-year timeframe allows for systematic network upgrades and optimization
• The focus on energy efficiency aligns with growing industry emphasis on sustainable telecommunications
• The trial of Cloud RAN solutions positions Orange France for future network architecture evolution