Nokia takes flight with ‘next-gen’ AirScale 5G portfolio

Across the massive MIMO (multiple input and multiple output) antenna range, the new AirScale products will feature both 32TRX and 64TRX antennas, as well as 8T8R remote radio head. Nokia claims that the 32TRX antenna is the “lightest in the industry” for 5G coverage, at 17kg, and covers both fragmented spectrum and network sharing.

Nokia has also introduced new SoC-based baseband plug-in cards to boost the capacity of the AirScale System Module and number of potential users by more than eight times. According to analyst Patrick Filkens, “the integration of Nokia’s ReefShark SoCs across both radio and baseband will help mobile operators to address the mobile services space that urgently requires more capacity.”

The new ReefShark chipset range will also see the introduction of AIML (Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning) features including predictive load balancing, anomaly detection, and intelligent traffic steering.

Tommi Uitto, president of mobile networks at Nokia, said: “Nokia’s new portfolio enables communication service providers to offer both consumer and enterprise customers with cutting-edge 5G experiences with premium speeds, capacity, and connectivity underpinned by seamless, simple, and efficient ‘plug-in’ deployment.