Proximus picks Nokia to replace Huawei in its Luxembourg 5G RAN

Nokia has nabbed another 5G contract with Proximus, securing a deal to supply RAN equipment for the operator’s 5G network in Luxembourg, replacing Huawei in the process.

“Luxembourg is a very dynamic and competitive market that represents many opportunities in the 5G era across a range of verticals,” said Gérard Hoffmann, CEO of Proximus Luxembourg, in a statement.

The tiny country is home to no fewer than five MNOs. Four of these paid a combined €41 million for 700-MHz and 3.6-GHz spectrum during the Luxembourg Regulatory Institute’s 5G spectrum auction in July. Proximus operates under two brands in Luxembourg: its premium Telindus brand, and its cut-price Tango brand.

The deal with Nokia will see the Finnish vendor provide its AirScale portfolio of base stations and radios, which can be used for both indoor and outdoor coverage.

“We are delighted and proud to extend our long-standing partnership with Proximus Luxembourg which demonstrates its continued confidence in Nokia and our technology,” said Tommi Uitto, president of mobile networks at Nokia.

It comes after Nokia won a similar deal in October for the operator’s 5G rollout in Belgium, where it replaced Huawei. Light Reading reports Proximus Luxembourg is currently all-in on Huawei kit for its RAN. That deal will see Nokia supply the RAN, while rival Ericsson will provide equipment for the core. Nokia simply said it will replace the incumbent vendor in its press release.

“Nokia is already a long-standing and trusted partner for Proximus in fixed networks including fibre,” said Uitto in October. “Now, Proximus will also benefit from our AirScale Radio Access portfolio which delivers incredible capacity, connectivity and ultra-low latency for both their network modernisation and 5G networks deployments.”

Tuesday’s 5G contract win means Nokia now has more than 133 commercial 5G deals to date, and 42 live networks. It is already supplying 5G equipment to one of Proximus Luxembourg’s local rivals, Orange.

Tuesday’s announcement also comes hot on the heels of another contract win for Nokia, this time in Iraq.

There, Asiacell has awarded Nokia a two-year contract to provide network planning and optimisation (NPO) services for the operator’s nationwide mobile network, which comprises some 7,000 sites.

The deal covers Asiacell’s RAN, transmission, IP, and core network elements. It will see Nokia use analytics and machine learning to simplify and automate certain workflows and operations, with the aim of improving capacity and reliability. It will also provide consultation services to Asiacell’s technology team.

“The Iraq mobile market is relatively young and highly competitive, so it makes sense that Asiacell has turned to us to help optimise its network and reduce its operational costs,” said Rima Manna, head of Nokia’s Middle East unit. “We look forward to bringing together global expertise with local insights to fully meet the needs of Asiacell Telecom.”