The collaboration with the Egyptian incumbent will see radio access network (RAN) equipment from Nokia’s AirScale portfolio deployed, including its baseband units and massive MIMO radios.
While the rollout will eventually be nationwide, Nokia and Telecom Egypt seem poised to start deploying in major cities, with Alexandria, Aswan, Cairo, Giza, and Luxor all specifically referenced.
Deployment in these places will start before the end of the year.
The radio equipment provided by Nokia will make use of its ReefShark System-on-Chip technology, which it claims is more energy efficient and leads to easier deployments, delivering extensive 5G capacity and coverage.
Nokia will also offer various professional services, encompassing deployment, integration, and network optimisation.
Earlier this year, Telecom Egypt secured the country's first 5G license, valid for 15 years.
“This new agreement with Nokia further strengthens our strong partnership, reaffirms our commitment to providing cutting-edge digital services, and positions us at the forefront of the 5G revolution,” said Mohamed Al Fowey, vice president, and chief technology officer at Telecom Egypt.
“Both our consumer and enterprise customers can look forward to enhanced mobile broadband and exciting new applications that leverage the speed and low latency of 5G technology,” he added.
Tommi Uitto, president of mobile networks at Nokia said the new contract extends the two companies' longstanding partnership.
“The introduction of 5G services enabled by our extensive portfolio will open exciting new opportunities for people and businesses in Egypt to experience enhanced mobile connectivity. Our collaboration establishes a strong foundation for driving the nation's digital transformation,” Uitto said.
