Nokia has partnered with Italian telco EOLO to deploy a 5G standalone mmWave RAN network in Italy.

In the announcement, vendor Nokia claimed the deployment to be a European first, noting it has signed a four-year deal with EOLO.

Founded in 1999, EOLO SpA is a national telecommunications operator, that provides ultra-broadband for the residential and business markets. The company states on its website that it has more than 1.6 million customers.

Nokia
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Nokia said the deal will help EOLO provide connectivity to underserved communities, closing the digital divide in Italy.

As part of the deal, the vendor will provide its 5G AirScale portfolio, which includes its AirScale baseband solutions, Massive MIMO radios, and Remote Radio Head products.

Nokia will also provide its Shikra mmWave radios for 5G capacity, ultra-wide bandwidth, and coverage.

According to Nokia, Shikra is "well-suited for dense, urban environments such as shopping malls or sports stadiums and support services such as real-time multi-user ultra-high-definition video streaming or augmented reality."

The vendor also noted that the mmWave product can deliver FWA services to rural or underserved communities where traditional wired infrastructure may be impractical or expensive to deploy.

“We are delighted to get to work with EOLO on this important new deal that will introduce innovative connectivity experiences across Italy and help to connect underserved communities," said Tommi Uitto, president of Mobile Networks at Nokia.

"In particular, the introduction of 5G mmWave solutions from our industry-leading AirScale and FastMile portfolios will enable premium 5G capacity and connectivity with the highest quality of service for subscribers.”

“This is clear evidence of our ambition to build a FWA network able to offer the best experience for our customers (retail, business, and wholesale), reaching all the areas of our country not connected by FTTH technology," added Guido Garrone, CEO at EOLO.

"Together with Nokia and the other partners involved in the deal, we will be able to bring FWA connectivity up to 1Gbps to the whole Italian market. By installing a new 5G infrastructure, we will see the further development of our FWA network that will continue to improve the experience for our customers as well as bridge the digital divide and digital speed divide."