Indonesian telco Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison has paired with network vendor Nokia to modernize its nationwide mobile network.

As part of the carrier's partnership with Nokia, the carrier will deploy advanced 5G RAN (Radio Access Network) technologies. This will see Nokia support the rollout of low- and mid-band 5G to help build high-performance, AI-ready networks, with support from chip giant Nvidia.

According to Nokia, the deployment will bolster network capacity, performance, and coverage across Indonesia.

The vendor notes that the upgrades will support advanced consumer and enterprise use cases across key sectors, including public services, industry, and digital services.

The partnership will also feature support from Nvidia, which is currently working with Nokia to advance AI-RAN. Indosat is one of a number of mobile carriers notably working with both companies on AI-RAN, as highlighted earlier this year at Mobile World Congress.

During MWC, the trio demonstrated the first AI-RAN call, with Indosat aiming to carry out field trials in Indonesia by the end of 2026.

The partnership will also support Nokia’s work on new AI algorithms designed to improve spectral efficiency on Nvidia AI-RAN platforms, which is set to be part of the upcoming trials.

Indosat's 5G expansion aims to provide the connectivity foundation for an AI Grid, while the AI-RAN roadmap creates a practical path to bring AI workloads closer to the network.

"Together with Nokia and Nvidia, we are building a reliable and AI-ready network foundation that will elevate connectivity and create a more seamless digital experience for every customer," said Vikram Sinha, president, director and CEO of Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison

"This collaboration strengthens our readiness for the next phase of digital innovation while reinforcing our commitment to empowering Indonesia through inclusive and sustainable digital transformation."

Nokia will deploy its latest Habrok and Pandion radio families, Levante basebands, Centralized RAN and advanced network management and automation platforms, which will drive intelligent operations, improved energy efficiency and faster service innovation.

Low‑band 5G will be introduced across the full network footprint, with mid‑band 5G covering approximately 80 percent of the network over the next three and a half years, added Nokia.

"By building on our AI-RAN work together and moving toward field trials in Indonesia, we are helping create an architecture where AI and connectivity can work side by side to improve efficiency, enable new applications and support digital transformation at scale," added Ronnie Vasishta, senior vice president of telecommunications at Nvidia.