International telecom giant, Nokia has announced that it has
been selected by Ooredoo Group to upgrade its existing radio access networks
(RAN), as well as deploy new sites in Algeria and Tunisia.
This according to a statement issued on Wednesday, will improve
the network performance and help Ooredoo Group to prepare for a launch of 5G services
in the future.
In addition, Nokia will modernize Ooredoo’s IP network, and
modernize and extend its Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network in Tunisia. These
initiatives will transform Ooredoo Group’s networks by enhancing the mobile
user experience thanks to better data speeds and capacity.
Nokia
will deploy its latest, energy-efficient AirScale portfolio including base
stations supporting multiple generations of radio technology from 2G, 3G and 4G
to 5G; massive MIMO Adaptive Antennas for urban and wide-area coverage;
dual-band Remote Radio Heads (RRH); as well as AirScale indoor Radio (ASiR)
small cell solution for seamless indoor coverage. These solutions will deliver
an enhanced mobile user experience with high bandwidth, ultra-fast speeds and
low latency.
Under
the deal, Nokia will replace the existing radio network for Ooredoo Tunisia, as
well as expand the network with the addition of new radio sites. Nokia will
increase its share in Ooredoo Algeria’s network to almost 50 percent, and in
Ooredoo Tunisia’s network to around 40 percent.
Nokia
will also provide its AirFrame and CloudBand Application Manager (CBAM)
solution for the network upgrade and deployment in Algeria and Tunisia. In
addition, in Tunisia, Nokia will deploy its 7750 Service Router for the
modernization of Ooredoo’s IP network and its GPON fiber broadband solution to
upgrade the existing FTTH network, increasing its share in these domains to 100
percent in Ooredoo Tunisia’s network.
The Group Regional
CEO at Ooredoo Group, Ahmad Al Neama said: “Nokia has been our technology partner for many years and has been a
part of our network evolution. Under this renewed partnership, we are taking
our network to a new level of transformation to further improve our network
performance and service experience for our customers. This will further empower
our customers in Algeria and Tunisia for knowledge, business, entertainment and
make competitive for a whole new lifestyle in the digital age.”
Amr K. El Leithy,
SVP, of Middle East and Africa Market, Nokia, also remarked that “Our vision is to create technology that helps the world
act together. To realize this vision, we deliver secure, reliable, and
sustainable networks today – and work with valued operators such as Ooredoo
Group to create the digital services and applications of the future. We are
proud to be part of these large-scale network modernization and expansion
projects with Ooredoo in Algeria and in Tunisia to unleash rich digital
experiences and new value-creation opportunities.”