T-Mobile to replace Nokia as a vendor?

Some unusual developments are unfolding for Nokia in the US market. The company has lost contracts with two of the three largest carriers in the country. In 2020, Nokia parted ways with Verizon, and by 2023, AT&T shifted its focus to Nokia’s competitor, Ericsson. While these were classic yet lucrative deals, Nokia found an unexpected lifeline in the Department of Defense, which awarded the company a defence-related contract.

It’s no secret that Nokia has been struggling in the networks division. However, its competitors haven’t been without challenges either—except for Huawei, which continues to dominate the networking sector despite enduring significant sanctions.

These industry shakeups may have fueled a rumour earlier this year about Nokia’s networks business potentially merging with Samsung for $10 billion—a claim the Finnish company promptly denied.

Now, new rumors have emerged from an analyst (Earl Lum, of EJL Wireless Research) who correctly predicted Nokia’s loss of AT&T business. This time, speculation suggests that T-Mobile might also part ways with Nokia as a vendor. Nokia has been a key player in developing T-Mobile’s 5G network, a task not without its hurdles but ultimately executed successfully. In 2021, T-Mobile even entrusted Nokia with expanding its 5G services over a five-year period, set to conclude in 2026. Considering this timeline, it’s plausible for rumours to arise about T-Mobile seeking a new vendor for its next-generation network expansions, including potential upgrades to 6G technology in the early 2030s.

A rather good and detailed report (as usual) on this matter is available on Light Reading, where both Nokia and T-Mobile reaffirmed their strong business relationship and commitment to collaboration.

Only time will reveal the truth behind these speculations and will T-Mobile strangle this cute gecko :).