Nokia has extended its long-term partnership with Vodafone and Vodacom as part of the operator group’s five-year radio access network (RAN) investment programme across Europe and Africa. The deal reinforces Nokia’s position as a key strategic supplier to Vodafone, following its recent RAN agreement with VodafoneThree—part of Europe’s largest privately funded telecom infrastructure project. The collaboration supports Vodafone’s objective of delivering next-generation connectivity while advancing digital inclusion and sustainability initiatives across both continents.
Under the renewed contract, Nokia will supply equipment from its AirScale RAN portfolio, including Massive MIMO radios, baseband units, and remote radio heads powered by its energy-efficient ReefShark System-on-Chip (SoC) technology. The deployment will include Africa’s first 5G dual-band Massive MIMO radio, designed to expand coverage and capacity while reducing power consumption and physical footprint. Nokia’s AI-driven MantaRay NM network management platform will also be integrated to provide a consolidated view of network performance and optimization across multiple markets.
The extended partnership also deepens Nokia’s collaboration with Vodacom Group and Safaricom Group in Africa, covering key markets such as Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Africa. These deployments aim to enhance network resilience, efficiency, and readiness for emerging AI-driven service demands across the region.
• Nokia supplies AirScale RAN portfolio with Massive MIMO, baseband, and RRH solutions
• Deployment of first 5G Dual-Band Massive MIMO Radio in Africa
• Nokia ReefShark SoC enhances energy efficiency and performance
• MantaRay NM introduces AI-based network management for real-time optimization
• Partnership spans Vodafone and Vodacom markets in Europe and Africa
Mark Atkinson, Head of RAN at Nokia, said: “Today’s networks need new levels of performance, trust and resilience. We are delighted to extend our partnership with Vodafone, Vodacom, and its affiliates to build future-proof 5G standalone networks across Europe and Africa. This agreement underscores the strength of our industry-leading connectivity solutions, which help our customers respond to the future demands as the AI supercycle accelerates.”
🌐 Analysis: Nokia’s continued partnership with Vodafone highlights the company’s critical role in next-generation 5G deployments, particularly as operators expand across emerging African markets. The inclusion of ReefShark-based hardware and AI-driven network management reflects Nokia’s strategic focus on energy efficiency and automation—key differentiators as Ericsson, Huawei, and Samsung vie for share in the evolving global RAN market.
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