T-Mobile has deepened its strategic partnership with Nokia through a new multi-year agreement that aims to further enhance its 5G network across the United States.
Nokia did not reveal the size of the network deal with T-Mobile. Finland-based Nokia earlier said its sales in the Americas rose by 23 percent to €1.48 billion in Q1 2025. This growth was driven primarily by North America, which surged 28 percent to €1.32 billion.
This deal underscores T-Mobile’s investment in next-generation technology to maintain its position as a leader in nationwide 5G coverage, which already reaches over 98 percent of the U.S. population. T-Mobile is aiming for annual capex (capital expenditure) of $9.5 billion in 2025.
Ulf Ewaldsson, President of Technology, T-Mobile, said: “T-Mobile’s standalone 5G network has solidified our global leadership by delivering tangible benefits to our customers. This new agreement with Nokia will further enhance our current network capabilities.”
Justin Hotard, President and CEO of Nokia, said: “By implementing Nokia’s AirScale RAN innovations, along with advanced virtualized and AI-RAN-based solutions, T-Mobile will unlock premium 5G performance for their customers.”
Nokia will provide its AirScale Radio Access Network (RAN) portfolio, including Habrok Massive MIMO and Levante Ultra-Performance baseband solutions, powered by energy-efficient ReefShark chips. These technologies are designed to maximize network performance, efficiency, and reliability.
Additionally, the partnership includes Nokia’s AI-powered network automation tools, such as MantaRay SON and AutoPilot, to drive optimization and support services.
This collaboration is not only about infrastructure but also about innovation, as Nokia will contribute to T-Mobile’s AI-RAN initiatives through the AI-RAN Innovation Center, focused on integrating artificial intelligence into RAN systems.
The strategy reflects T-Mobile’s aim to lead the evolution into 5G Advanced and beyond, leveraging AI, virtualization, and advanced architectures to build a more agile and scalable network.
By reinforcing its partnership with Nokia, T-Mobile continues to deliver on its “Challenger to Champion” vision, fortifying its reputation as America’s largest and fastest 5G provider while laying the groundwork for future advancements in mobile connectivity.
Baburajan Kizhakedath
