Nokia lands 5G standalone core deal with Ooredoo Qatar

Nokia announced on Thursday that it has signed a deal with Ooredoo Qatar to modernize its core network to support standalone 5G, which in turn will boost the telco's ability to deliver more advanced services.

The deal includes Nokia’s 5G voice core, packet core, and subscriber data management solutions, which will enable Ooredoo to deliver ultra-low latency bandwidth and multi-access edge computing, as well as network slicing.

Nokia will also supply its MantaRay NM solution, which promises to optimize Ooredoo’s network monitoring and management by providing a consolidated and automated network view.

Ooredoo said the core upgrade will give the telco the ability to provide real-time industrial automation and high-quality gaming experiences at scale, as well as tailor virtual networks to meet specific requirements for different applications, services, and customers.

Qatar CEO Sheikh Ali Bin Jabor Al-Thani said in a statement that moving to a 5G standalone core network “supports our group-wide project initiatives of evolving our network operations with new digital capabilities and business models that strengthen the customer and enterprise experience.”

The deal also includes the rollout of Nokia’s Data Center Fabric solution, which enables data centres and cloud environments to easily scale, adapt, and operate. That solution includes Nokia’s 7220 interconnect router system, which will allow Ooredoo to provide its services more efficiently with lower energy consumption and increased capacity.