Nokia, Telia, and the Finnish Defense Forces have completed the world’s first successful 5G standalone (SA) network slice handover across national borders. The trial, conducted in March during a Nordic military exercise, demonstrated uninterrupted 5G SA slice continuity while transferring a secure data connection between three commercial networks in different countries. This milestone highlights 5G’s emerging role in enabling secure and mobile communications for defense and mission-critical operations.
The demonstration leveraged Telia’s commercial network infrastructure and Nokia’s 5G Standalone Core and AirScale radio equipment, including base stations powered by ReefShark System-on-Chip technology. Nokia’s MantaRay Network Management system delivered centralized visibility and control, ensuring seamless performance throughout the cross-border slice handover. The ability to maintain an active and secure data session while moving across country lines is vital for modern coalition defense operations that require real-time, mobile, and resilient communication.
The successful handover marks a step toward operationalizing 5G slicing for defense forces within NATO and allied territories. It validates that commercial 5G technologies can meet the high reliability, low latency, and security needs of military communications—especially for multinational coordination scenarios. The trial also signals growing interest in applying advanced 5G features such as slicing, roaming continuity, and intelligent network management to both public safety and critical infrastructure.
• Nokia, Telia, and Finnish Defense Forces complete the first 5G SA slice handover across three countries
• Trial took place on live commercial networks during a multinational military exercise
• Used Nokia’s 5G Core SaaS, AirScale base stations, and ReefShark chipsets
• Nokia’s MantaRay network management provided unified oversight and optimization
• Demonstrates feasibility of secure, uninterrupted mobile 5G for defense and mission-critical applications
“Seamless 5G slice continuity over country borders is a breakthrough for defense operations, enabling secure and reliable communications for collaborative missions that extend beyond national territories,” said Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks at Nokia.
