Nokia announced that its enhanced C-Band portfolio will be available from Q1 2021 to support mobile operators’ 5G network deployments, following the conclusion of the recent spectrum auction in the U.S.
Nokia aims to work with wireless operators such as T-Mobile US, AT&T and Verizon.
Nokia’s C-Band portfolio, which covers both indoor and outdoor deployment needs, includes massive MIMO antenna solutions, hybrid antennas that combine both passive and active radio platforms into a single, modular unit, macro remote radio heads and small cell solutions to cover all connectivity and deployment requirements.
C-Band spectrum, between 3.4 GHz and 4.2 GHz, is a crucial resource for operators to offer the best mix of 5G network capacity and coverage to subscribers. In the U.S. 280 MHz of spectrum, between 3.7 GHz and 3.98 GHz, has been allocated of use by 5G services.
U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently completed its C-Band spectrum auction, which received significant interest from mobile operators.
The C-Band spectrum offers huge capacity scaling and connectivity supporting the increased demand for mobile network capacity. The auctioned spectrum will be cleared for use for 5G services during 2021 and 2022. The rollout of C-Band networks will start in the coming months in the initial 100 MHz, with the remaining 180 MHz expected to be cleared and released the year after.
Last year, Nokia was the first vendor to complete a 5G trial in C-Band spectrum in the U.S. using its 5G AirScale portfolio. The C-Band is already the pioneer mid-band in many countries around the world for 5G services.
“Now that the U.S. has completed its C-Band spectrum auction, the carriers are turning their attention towards capitalizing on their new spectrum assets and rolling out new 5G services. We look forward to working with our customers to deploy these solutions and help deliver incredible 5G experiences to businesses and consumers across the country,” Tommi Uitto, president, Mobile Networks, Nokia, said in a statement.
