Operator Claro Argentina and vendor Nokia have signed what is described as a comprehensive 5G deal through which Nokia will deploy 5G infrastructure across the country for Claro.
The agreement will cover the first phase of 5G implementation in the country, reaching Argentina’s largest cities. The deal supports Claro’s strategy of digitising Argentina with reliable, low-latency and ultra-high-speed connectivity for consumers and enterprises. Nokia is the sole supplier and says, not surprisingly, that it will see its market share increase in the deal.
Nokia says it will deploy equipment from its 5G AirScale portfolio, powered by its energy-efficient ReefShark system-on-chip technology. This includes base stations, baseband units and its latest generation of massive MIMO radios, delivering extensive, superior 5G capacity and coverage, as well as enabling easy deployments.
As for the initial beneficiaries of 5G in Argentina, Nokia says that 5G technology is set to transform a number of vertical sectors in the country including manufacturing and oil and gas. Nokia will also offer planning, deployment, integration and network optimisation services.
In a first for the operator, Claro will become the first customer in Latin America to deploy Nokia’s Interleaved Passive Active Antenna (IPAA+) across its entire footprint.
As Nokia explains, service providers typically face the challenge of finding additional space on towers and rooftops to add 5G antennas. Nokia’s IPAA+ accelerates the deployment of 5G by addressing this practical issue. Its modular design supports a wide range of frequencies, from 700MHz to 2.6GHz, and the 3.5GHz 5G band with a compact antenna solution.
Nokia is a long-standing partner of Claro Argentina and has supported the operator with the deployment of its 2G, 3G, 4G, and now 5G networks. But it is far from Nokia’s only Latin American customer.
The 5G landscape in Latin America is developing quickly and Nokia has been part of a number of major recent deals. For example this month we reported that Nokia had secured a contract from TIM Brasil to expand the operator’s 5G network across 15 Brazilian states. In June meanwhile, we noted that Colombian operator Claro had deployed the first stage of its 5G network with vendor partner Nokia.
