Nokia & T-Mobile US Expand 5G Network to 332M Americans
In a significant development for the telecommunications industry, Nokia has announced a multi-year extension of its long-standing partnership with T-Mobile US. The agreement highlights Nokia's pivotal role in advancing the performance and scale of T-Mobile's award-winning 5G network, which is already recognised as the most extensive and awarded in the United States.
The new contract will see Nokia deliver a comprehensive range of hardware, software and services from its industry-leading AirScale Radio Access Network (RAN) portfolio.
It includes deploying its latest Habrok Massive MIMO radios and Levante Ultra-Performance baseband units. Both are built on Nokia's proprietary ReefShark System-on-Chip, which offers heightened energy efficiency and network performance.
Enhancing reach and efficiency nationwide
The expansion will enable T-Mobile US to increase its network coverage and capacity, reaching even more nationwide users. The deployment will include next-generation baseband and radio solutions designed to improve data speeds, network responsiveness and reliability.
Ulf Ewaldsson, President of Technology at T-Mobile, stated: "This new agreement with Nokia will further enhance our current network capabilities as we strengthen our journey supercharged with 5G Advanced, laying a robust foundation for future innovation.
Innovating with AI-driven network technologies
The deal goes beyond traditional RAN deployment. Nokia will integrate AI-powered technologies such as MantaRay SON and AutoPilot, enabling intelligent network optimisation and automation. These self-organising network (SON) solutions aim to streamline network operations and reduce overheads while maintaining exceptional service quality.
Additionally, Nokia will continue contributing to the work undertaken at T-Mobile's AI-RAN Innovation Center. Established in 2024, the facility focuses on incorporating artificial intelligence into the RAN ecosystem to transform how network resources are managed and user experiences are delivered.
Supporting T-Mobile's network evolution
The agreement supports T-Mobile's strategic objectives around virtualisation and cloud-native RAN architectures.
The next-generation systems provide the flexibility and scalability necessary to meet the rapidly growing demand for mobile data, particularly as new services and applications emerge with the evolution of 5G and future 6G pathways.
Justin Hotard, President and CEO at Nokia, stated: "This new agreement strengthens our deep partnership with T-Mobile US and extends their leadership in delivering next-generation connectivity across the US.
"By implementing Nokia's latest AirScale RAN innovations, along with advanced virtualised and AI-RAN-based solutions, T-Mobile will unlock premium 5G performance for their customers. I'm excited to continue our partnership to shape the next chapter of mobile connectivity in the US."
A long-standing collaboration with tangible results
The latest agreement further cements the collaborative success between the two companies. Nokia's solutions have been instrumental in helping T-Mobile transition from a market challenger to the leading 5G network provider in the United States.
Today, T-Mobile's network covers more than 332 million people and spans over two million square miles.
Nokia's cutting-edge RAN technologies and T-Mobile's aggressive network expansion strategy continue to deliver one of the most advanced mobile experiences in the world.
The partnership aims to enter its next phase, bringing ultra-reliable, high-speed 5G to even more users, businesses, and communities across the United States.
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