Telenor, Telia and Nokia deployed “the world’s most advanced shared wireless network” with a Multi-Operator Core Network (MOCN) supporting technologies from 2G to 5G.
The MOCN capability allows mobile operators to share a common radio access network (RAN) infrastructure and spectrum resources. Both operators have a presence in all Nordic countries and more besides.
When deployed on a trial network in Denmark, the 5G MOCN feature achieved successful end-to-end test calls.
Nokia says this is the first network to include live MOCN capabilities for 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G simultaneously. The trial used Nokia’s 5G RAN and 5G cloud core.
Network-sharing is a growing trend as operators seek to balance cost, resource efficiency and speed of deployment for 5G networks.
Inspiration for operators
Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks at Nokia, said, “Deploying 5G networks independently can be an expensive undertaking for mobile operators in the most competitive markets. This trial highlights that through-network sharing, operators can drive efficiencies, lower costs and bring the myriad benefits of 5G to businesses and consumers quickly.
“We hope that this trial demonstrates to operators around the world that there are multiple options open to them to get their 5G networks up and running quickly and at the lowest possible cost.”
Georg Svendsen CTO at Telenor, added, “We were among the first operators in the world to use MOCN on our network, and I am very pleased that we also are among the first ones to use the technology in our 5G-pilot as well. Network sharing is a clear strategic priority for Telenor.”
Henrik Kofod CTO at Telia Denmark, said he hoped the initiative would inspire other operators in the Danish market to follow.
“Network sharing is a great choice when it comes to building sustainable 5G networks. When we maximise our resource utilisation, we lower our carbon footprint and optimize our investments,” he said.