Nokia will launch carrier-grade Wi-Fi 7 broadband devices next year

Finnish kit vendor Nokia has announced a carrier-grade portfolio of Wi-Fi 7 devices, including dual-band, tri-band and quad-band configurations.

Within the new range of products, Nokia highlights the Beacon 24 as having an ‘innovative antenna design and orientation’ for omnidirectional coverage, which it claims provides the best overall horizontal coverage, as well as vertical coverage for wifi devices on different floors.

It also supports multi-link operations (MLO) across four radio links, which it says enables devices to simultaneously send and receive data across different frequency bands and channels.

The Wi-Fi 7 portfolio comes loaded with Nokia’s Corteca software, which we’re told brings advanced wifi and device management, is based on open industry standards (TR-369, EasyMesh) and has a store of apps that run on fibre (ONT) gateways, FWA gateways, and mesh Wi-Fi beacons.

“The world is moving to multi-gigabit with 25G fiber and 5G mmWave pushing the broadband speeds to the home to new heights,” said Justin Doucette, head of Wi-Fi for Fixed Networks Broadband Devices at Nokia. “Wi-Fi 7 provides new capabilities that ensure these multi-gigabit broadband services can be achieved throughout the home. The combination of our new Wi-Fi 7 devices and our Corteca software gives operators the tools they need to deliver an unsurpassed broadband experience.”

The products will be available in the first half of 2024.

Meanwhile, Nokia also announced today that its Altiplano Open Access Solution now includes wholesale functions, aimed at infrastructure providers of a mind to ‘better monetize their fibre networks.’

Called the Network Wholesale Portal, features include enhanced network insights, simplified service management and streamlined OSS/BSS integration for ISPs. It also lowers the operational costs related to sharing OLT, ONU and outside plant, claims Nokia.

Geert Heyninck, General Manager of Broadband Networks at Nokia said: “The business case of wholesale and neutral host providers depends greatly on their ability to onboard a variety of ISPs with different needs and expertise levels. Our enhanced Open Access solution caters to all ISPs. It empowers each with the tools and capabilities they need to efficiently manage and scale their network, and to deliver exceptional broadband services to their customers.”

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