At the AGM in August, Reliance Jio said that it has well-established relationships with leading global network technology providers, including Nokia. Now, Nokia has announced that it has won a multi-year deal with Reliance Jio to supply 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) equipment from its comprehensive AirScale portfolio countrywide.
Under the deal, Nokia will supply equipment from its AirScale portfolio, including base stations, high-capacity 5G Massive MIMO antennas, and Remote Radio Heads (RRH) to support different spectrum bands, and self-organizing network software. Nokia also supplies 5G RAN equipments for Airtel.
Reliance Jio started beta trial of its 5G services based on standalone (SA) architecture in 4 cities – Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Varanasi earlier this month. It will expand to more cities in the coming weeks. At the AGM, Mukesh Ambani said that the company will deliver 5G to every town of India by December 2023.
Nokia said that Reliance Jio plans to deploy a 5G standalone network which will interwork with its 4G network. The network will enable Reliance Jio to deliver advanced 5G services such as massive machine-to-machine communications, network slicing, and ultra-low-latency.
Regarding the deal, Akash Ambani, Chairman, Reliance Jio, said:
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.