Nokia to deploy 5G OpenRAN gear for NTT Docomo

Nokia announced that Japanese mobile operator, NTT DOCOMO (DOCOMO) is deploying Nokia’s Open RAN (O-RAN) compliant 5G AirScale baseband solution including Centralized Unit (CU) and Distributed Unit (DU) software in its commercial network nationwide. Nokia’s high-capacity, high-performance solution enables DOCOMO to pursue a multi-supplier strategy, giving them the option to connect with Open Radio Units (RU) delivered by other suppliers. Nokia’s low-power, energy-efficient AirScale portfolio will also help DOCOMO drive significant sustainability benefits as well as a lower total cost of ownership.

Nokia will deploy its fully O-RAN-compliant 5G AirScale baseband solution in DOCOMO’s commercial network. Nokia’s energy-efficient solution powered by the latest ReefShark System-on-Chip technology will also deliver sustainability benefits as well as operational cost savings to DOCOMO due to its small footprint and low power consumption. Nokia and DOCOMO are long-term supporters of open networks and have invested heavily to advance the goals of the O-RAN alliance to build open, interoperable, and responsive networks that fulfill the requirements of enterprise and consumer demand in the 5G era.

Nokia has a long history of partnering with DOCOMO as the RAN provider for its 3G network as well as helping the operator establish a multi-supplier 4G strategy. Both companies are taking their strategic collaboration and partnership to the next level with the deployment of the O-RAN-compliant 5G network. DOCOMO is committed to supporting global telecom operators in their adoption of Open RAN to make Open RAN a commercial reality.

This partnership with DOCOMO is a perfect example of Nokia’s anyRAN approach, which aims to build future-ready radio access networks together with an ecosystem of industry partners to unlock collaborative advantage. Nokia anyRAN is designed to give mobile operators and enterprises more flexibility in building networks that combine purpose-built, hybrid, and Cloud RAN environments with common software. For Open RAN, Nokia develops the required Open Fronthaul features on top of its high-performance RAN software, ensuring co-existence and feature performance parity with purpose-built RAN. Nokia baseband solutions can be combined with both Nokia and third-party radios. For operators, this ensures a smooth evolution path towards hybrid, Cloud RAN, and O-RAN deployments.

Masafumi Masuda, General Manager of Radio Access Network Technology Promotion Office, NTT DOCOMO, INC, commented: “Nokia’s O-RAN compatible AirScale 5G Baseband solution is extremely competitive and is capable of being connected to any O-RUs on NTT DOCOMO’s 5G commercial network. Its high performance and low power consumption will also reduce our operational costs and support our sustainability goals. We are excited to continue this journey with Nokia, who have been with us every step of the way as we move towards more open networks.”

Mark Atkinson, Head of RAN at Nokia, said: “Nokia is fully committed to Open RAN and is helping its customers fulfill their Open RAN objectives. We have taken steps to ensure that our industry-leading radio access portfolio can seamlessly integrate and interoperate with products from other suppliers. Together with our ecosystem of partners, we are providing more choice and higher performance in Open RAN solutions to our customers than they will see from other RAN suppliers. We are excited to continue this journey with our long-term partner, NTT DOCOMO, and help them achieve their objective of delivering open networks.”

CT Bureau