Nokia and du, a leading UAE-based telecommunications service provider from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), announced signing of a four-year 5G expansion deal. Saleem Al Balooshi, CTO of du and Amr K. El Leithy, SVP, Middle East and Africa Market, Nokia signed the deal. As part of the agreement, Nokia will deploy the new 5G sites with its Single Radio Access Network (SRAN) technology. This will deliver 5G services in new locations and address the demand for enhanced broadband services.
The deployment will allow du to deliver a superior network experience to its customers and set it on the path to upgrade the network for future technologies. du's subscribers will benefit from improved coverage, capacity and overall network performance.
As per the contract, du's 5G network will use products from Nokia's AirScale Radio Network Access portfolio and massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (mMIMO) to deliver an ultra-fast and low-latency network experience.
Nokia's SRAN solution will also reduce network complexity by allowing du to manage multi-technology operations on a single platform. This will also help du to future-proof its investment by enhancing network and cost efficiencies.
In addition, Nokia will deploy its NetAct network management solution and Nokia Performance Manager, which present a consolidated network view leading to improved network monitoring and management. du will also utilize Nokia's digital deployment services including installation, planning and automated site deployment, for timely and efficient execution of the project.
Nokia's 5G solutions are enabling service providers across the world to benefit from the vast opportunities offered by groundbreaking use cases, such as remote surgery, Industry 4.0 and connected vehicles. To date, Nokia has inked 146 commercial 5G deals, is powering 55 live 5G networks and has secured over 196 commercial agreements.
Saleem AlBlooshi, Chief Technology Officer at du, said, "We are committed to continuously upgrading and modernizing our networks through investment. Besides enhancing service quality, this initiative represents the latest phase of actions in this direction because it will allow us to offer compelling use cases like fixed wireless access, ultra-mobile broadband, virtual private network, virtual reality, augmented reality, smart factories, remote surgery, and more. Nokia is one of our trusted partners, and we are pleased to be using its SRAN solution to further improve our network's coverage and capacity. Ubiquitous access to ultra-high-speed networks will help the country further accelerate digital transformation."
Amr K. El Leithy, SVP, Middle East and Africa Market, Nokia, said, "Our industry-leading products and solutions are empowering service providers across the globe to efficiently manage networks and future-proof their investments for upcoming technologies. We are thrilled to be working with du on this crucial initiative to expand its 5G network to address its customers' requirements. The Nokia SRAN solution will allow du to enhance network efficiency by simplifying the network operations."