AI-RAN technology commercialization process accelerates and British defense cooperation deepens! Nokia (NOK.US) rose in response to the pre-market

The Zhitong Finance App learned that Finnish network equipment manufacturer Nokia (NOK.US) announced that the commercialization process of its AI-RAN (Artificial Intelligence Radio Access Network) technology has accelerated significantly around the world, while the British defense business has made new progress. Boosted by this news, Nokia's US stock rose nearly 6% before the market on Wednesday as of press release.

Nokia says AI-RAN technology is gaining more and more momentum around the world. Currently, mainstream global telecom operators in North America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, and the Middle East are advancing AI-RAN technology based on the Nvidia (NVDA.US) Aerial RAN computer platform from early evaluation to laboratory and field field testing.

According to reports, the partner operator lineup announced this time has been further expanded, including A1 Group, China Telecom, du, e&, Mobily, STC, TPG Telecom, and Saudi Zain, etc., to jointly build a huge commercial ecosystem with partners such as Japan's NTT DOCOMO announced earlier. Emma Falck, president of Nokia's mobile infrastructure business, said that the continued increase in service provider participation shows that AI-RAN is moving from an industry concept to a “commercial reality.”

AI-RAN combines artificial intelligence with wireless access network technology to optimize the use of spectrum and computing resources in mobile networks. The platform combines Nokia's AI-native AnyRAN software with the Nvidia Aerial RAN computer platform, is designed for 5G networks, and has a software upgrade path to AI-native 6G.

Nokia said the platform has achieved a spectral efficiency improvement of more than 20%, and the company has planned a clear software evolution path and is expected to achieve a larger breakthrough in efficiency between 2027 and 2028. The platform not only helps operators improve the utilization of existing assets and build software-defined 5G networks, but also lays a solid foundation for future AI-native 6G upgrades and deployment of AI workloads at the network edge.

Meanwhile, Nokia announced that its defense division has signed a memorandum of understanding with British systems engineering and security services company C3IA to support the digital transformation of UK defense operations. The two companies plan to jointly develop solutions covering tactical and combat communications, dedicated 4G and 5G, command and control, sensing, autonomous systems, and edge computing. The partnership also builds on the two companies' joint participation in the UK Ministry of Defense's TacSys framework — a framework that provides a channel for future tactical communications needs to access Nokia's connectivity product portfolio.

Mikko Viitaniemi, head of Nokia's defense business, said the partnership aims to combine mission-critical connectivity with C3IA's expertise in defense systems engineering to advance tactical communications and interoperability in future UK projects.