Nokia steps in to replace Huawei as BT’s largest 5G infrastructure partner
|Finnish telecommunications giant Nokia announced that the company signed a 5G deal with UK’s operator BT that will make Nokia BT’s largest infrastructure partner. Nokia was selected as the 5G RAN (Radio Access Network) supplier, meaning Nokia’s gear will be installed on network towers that will provide BT’s customers with 5G.
In the press release, Nokia mentions that the Finns will “optimize BT’s 2G and 4G networks”, meaning they will be replacing the legacy Huawei gear that British operator has to remove from its network by 2027, as mandated by the UK administration. UK, just like the US, sees Huawei as a national security threat and this deal is one of the big wins for Nokia that come at Huawei’s expense.
You can find more details in the official press release.