Nokia is extending its innovative AirScale Radio Access family and services portfolio to accelerate the planning, design and roll-out of cloud-based radio access networks by operators. This will increase the agility with which they respond to growing data-driven subscriber demand and the onset of the Internet of Things, and ensure a smooth evolution toward 5G technology.
The Nokia AirScale RNC - the first true cloud-based 3G radio network controller - will deliver operational and cost efficiencies for the world's most widely deployed radio access technology. Analysts estimate that 40 percent of mobile network subscribers will continue to access 3G networks in 2020*, so by moving the controller to the cloud, operators will be able to protect investments and benefit sooner from unrivalled scalability across technologies, greater automation and inherent flexibility. Nokia has already conducted successful tests of the AirScale RNC with operators; and will make it commercially available during the first quarter of 2017.
Nokia is also extending the portfolio and driving commercialisation of its innovative ultra-lean and efficient AirScale radios, announced at Mobile World Congress 2016. New radios supporting additional paired and unpaired frequency bands will meet more operators' multiple technology radio access network demands.