Nokia and du revolutionise 5G cloud connectivity

Nokia and du, a prominent telecom and digital services provider, have announced the deployment of the first commercial 5G Cloud RAN solution in the Middle East and Africa region

This initiative underscores du's hybrid RAN strategy, which combines purpose-built and cloud-native infrastructures to achieve enhanced scalability and flexibility. The deployment supports the UAE's digital transformation and advanced applications in AI, machine learning, and industry-specific sectors like manufacturing, energy, and logistics.

Cloud RAN innovation

The 5G Cloud RAN site, established in Abu Dhabi, utilises Nokia's innovative anyRAN approach. The solution includes Nokia’s virtualised Distributed Units (vDU) and Centralized Units (vCU) on Dell PowerEdge XR8620 servers, integrated with Red Hat OpenShift, a leading hybrid cloud platform. This setup facilitates cloud-native RAN functions, enabling service providers like du to scale their networks efficiently and launch new services seamlessly. Nokia’s AirScale Massive MIMO Radios operating on the 3.6 GHz (n78) spectrum and 5G Standalone architecture were also deployed.

This commercial Cloud RAN deployment supports hybrid environments, allowing operators to transition to fully cloud-native networks. Nokia’s consistent RAN software ensures uniform features and performance across both Cloud and purpose-built RAN systems, enhancing network monetisation opportunities for service providers.

Saleem Alblooshi, chief technical officer of du, stated, “Our collaboration with Nokia represents a major leap forward in du’s mission to deliver exceptional network performance and innovative services. Leveraging 5G Cloud RAN will not only enhance our network's efficiency and flexibility but also enable us to explore new opportunities and services that can deliver genuine value to our customers and society at large.”

Mark Atkinson, head of RAN at Nokia, added, “This strategic partnership with du is much more than an infrastructure deployment. Both companies are committed to driving innovation by developing pioneering use cases that leverage the transformative power of AI and private wireless networks. Under our anyRAN approach, we bring together Nokia’s expertise, trusted performance, and innovation in radio networks with best-in-class partner solutions to offer true flexibility and scalability to operators and enterprises. This collaboration will enable the development of innovative services that empower businesses and individuals alike.”