Nokia and Deutsche Telekom have expanded their collaboration to accelerate the development of cloud-based, disaggregated and AI-native radio access network technologies.
The enhanced Innovation Cooperation Program, announced at the Mobile World Congress (MWC 2026), strengthens joint research and development across Cloud RAN, open interfaces and next-generation AI-native RAN solutions designed to power high-performance, multivendor mobile networks.
The move builds on a history of co-creation between the two companies focused on open, flexible architectures. By deepening cooperation, Nokia and Deutsche Telekom aim to improve network efficiency, programmability and long-term operational value for service providers as they transition toward software-driven, autonomous networks.
Advancing Deutsche Telekom’s Open RAN Strategy
A key pillar of the expanded collaboration is increased integration around Open Fronthaul. The companies are building on earlier achievements that connected Nokia baseband units with third-party O-RAN compliant radio units in Germany. Additional multivendor integrations for Open Fronthaul and Cloud RAN are now underway within confidential development programs.
Open Fronthaul adoption, cloudified baseband architecture and network softwarization remain central to Deutsche Telekom’s Open RAN strategy. Another critical element is a vendor-independent Service Management and Orchestration platform, which enables centralized control and automation across multivendor RAN environments.
Both companies are also advancing O-RAN aligned management capabilities through open O1 interfaces. This includes expanding configuration management and additional network functions that support long-term vendor-agnostic operations. Seamless integration into Deutsche Telekom’s in-house SMO platform continues to shape its vision for flexible, future-ready network management.
Strategic Focus on AI-Native RAN Development
Nokia will act as Deutsche Telekom’s strategic co-creation partner for AI-native RAN development. The initiative aims to accelerate the deployment of intelligent and autonomous RAN functions across cloud, edge and radio domains.
The collaboration will focus on:
Developing high-impact AI-native RAN use cases, including AI-powered receivers, advanced channel estimation and prediction, adaptive beamforming and predictive network optimization. These capabilities are expected to improve spectral efficiency, enhance user experience and increase automation levels.
Validating AI technologies in both laboratory and live network environments. Proof-of-concept trials are planned at Deutsche Telekom Labs and in field deployments to assess AI-for-RAN performance under real-world conditions.
Establishing open, disaggregated AI-native RAN architectures that embed AI consistently across network layers using standards-aligned and interoperable interfaces.
Pallavi Mahajan, Chief Technology and AI Officer at Nokia, said AI-native RAN represents a fundamental shift in how networks are built and operated, enabling highly automated and adaptive infrastructures. Abdurazak Mudesir, Member of the Board of Management at Deutsche Telekom AG for Product and Technology, emphasized that open interfaces and AI-native RAN are essential to achieving fully programmable and autonomous networks with multivendor flexibility at scale. Through this expanded partnership, Nokia and Deutsche Telekom aim to accelerate the commercialization of open, cloud-native and AI-driven RAN technologies, positioning service providers to deliver more efficient, resilient and future-ready mobile networks for the next generation of digital services.