Telia Selects Nokia to Expand 5G Standalone Core

Telia has signed an agreement with Nokia to deploy Nokia’s cloud-native, 5G Standalone (SA) Core in its networks across Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia and Lithuania.

The agreement extends the ongoing collaboration between the two companies and supports Telia’s approach to evolving its network footprint in the Nordic and Baltic regions. Alongside core upgrades, Telia is integrating Nokia’s Radio Access Network (RAN) portfolio in Finland, designed to deliver added capacity, coverage and speed.

“This partnership with Nokia is key to Telia’s 5G ambitions,” says Alexandra Fürst, Chief Technology & Information Officer at Telia Company. “Our 5G networks are already world-class and are trusted by entire societies.

"By further advancing the capabilities of Telia’s infrastructure, we will create new possibilities for our customers, from people and enterprises to essential public services,” she says.

“As networks become more intelligent, adaptive and automated, AI unlocks a future where connectivity anticipates needs, accelerates innovation and empowers entirely new digital experiences.”

Nokia cloud-native core supports Telia network rollout

The deployment of Nokia’s fully cloud-native 5G SA core enables Telia to introduce more adaptable and robust connectivity for both business and public sector customers across its operational markets.

Telia plans to utilise the technology to scale its network services further and add layers of automation. The architecture is expected to increase Telia’s capacity to offer new services and improve efficiency.

“We are proud to deepen our partnership with Telia to advance its 5G capabilities,” comments Kal De, Nokia’s Senior Vice President of Product and Engineering for Cloud and Network Services.

“Nokia’s fully cloud-native core is part of our multicloud strategy to help customers roll out innovative new services quickly, securely and with automation in a highly agile, scalable environment,” he says.

The approach supports Telia’s strategy in managing increasingly complex demands for high-speed connectivity and digital applications that benefit businesses and broader society.

RAN deployment in Finland Aids Telia’s sustainability targets

Telia is implementing Nokia’s RAN technologies, with a focus on enhancing network performance in Finland. By design, the deployment boosts coverage, capacity and speed.

The goal is to deliver consistent service levels and reduced network latency, which are crucial for both enterprise and public sector use cases in Finland.

Reducing energy consumption forms part of Telia’s goals for network transformation. Telia expects the Nokia RAN implementation to help realise its wider environmental targets, which target sustainable network operations.

Nokia’s global 5G core footprint

By the close of the third quarter in 2025, Nokia had contracts with 127 operators for 5G standalone core networks and reported the highest number of live 5G standalone core deployments worldwide, with 55.

According to research by Omdia, Nokia leads industry capabilities in core network portfolios and Gartner’s 2025 assessment recognises Nokia as a leader in Communication Service Provider 5G Core Network Infrastructure Solutions.

Kal continues: “Nokia’s fully cloud-native core is part of our multicloud strategy to help customers roll out innovative new services quickly, securely and with automation in a highly agile, scalable environment.”