The new comprehensive range of AirScale gear is powered by Nokia’s custom ReefShark 5G System on a Chip (SoC) chipsets, delivering the highest capacity and network performance while enabling efficient deployments and operation.

Nokia’s new, industry-leading 5G portfolio includes baseband, radio, and Massive MIMO antennas with both 32TRX and 64TRX products, as well as 8T8R remote radio head solutions. It’s Nokia’s biggest product launch in a number of years.

Weighing 17kg, the 32TRX is the industries lightest and is most suitable for fast deployment and dense network coverage. Impressively, the low weight has been achieved whilst supporting high radio frequency bandwidth (200 MHz occupied bandwidth and 400 MHz instantaneous bandwidth) and delivering high radio frequency power output. Both the new 32TRX and the new 64TRX products support fragmented spectrum and network sharing cases.

Nokia has also introduced its new SoC-based baseband plug-in cards to boost the capacity of the AirScale System Module. The new ReefShark-powered plug-in cards deliver up to eight times more throughput and serve up to eight times more cells than previous generations, whilst being easily installed and simplifying the upgrade and extended operation of all AirScale deployments. Nokia’s modular AirScale baseband enables mobile operators to scale capacity flexibly and efficiently and as their 5G business evolves.

Nokia Single RAN software now includes 5G, accelerating 5G rollouts and cutting overall radio access network TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), by unlocking network efficiencies with common transport, common operability, common software delivery, and increased hardware sharing. The combination of Nokia’s Single RAN software and the new baseband plug-in cards offer multi-mode (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G) and multi-band and supports the latest front-haul interfaces (eCPRI) on a single baseband platform, simplifying the network and lowering costs.

Nokia’s AirScale baseband architecture is designed with the future in mind, supporting the increasing demands for wireless traffic. By keeping the L1 and L2 (Layer 1 and Layer 2) computing separate from L3 (Layer 3) and Transport baseband plug-in units, capacity can be added whenever and wherever it’s needed within the network.

Nokia’s ReefShark chipsets will also play a critical role in future Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) capabilities. Nokia has already introduced AI/ML features in areas such as predictive load balancing, anomaly detection, and intelligent traffic steering. All Nokia ReefShark platforms are AI/ML ready and Nokia is carrying out proof of concepts with customers this year in innovative areas such as Massive MIMO beam pattern optimisation, energy-saving, advanced traffic steering, advanced packet scheduling, and alarm pattern discovery.

Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks, Nokia, said:

“Our new generation of ReefShark-powered AirScale radio and baseband products is evidence of the successful transformation of our business and ability to deliver market-leading products to our global customers. Nokia’s new portfolio enables communication service providers to offer both consumer and enterprise customers with cutting-edge 5G experiences with premium speeds, capacity, and connectivity underpinned by seamless, simple, and efficient ‘plug-in’ deployment. Our new AirScale products are O-RAN ready. They consume less energy and highlight our commitment to climate change. We’re excited to see our customers deploying these products and see the transformative impact of 5G technology.”

While the new product rollout seems mainly focused on to US market, it is something we look forward to seeing within the UK over the next few years.