Chunghwa Telecom taps Nokia tech for energy-efficient 5G network upgrade

Taiwanese operator Chunghwa Telecom (CHT) has selected Nokia to supply technology in a two-year deal to enhance its 5G network across Taiwan’s central and southern regions.

Chunghwa Telecom is the largest integrated telecommunication service provider in Taiwan, claiming to have leading offerings in domestic and international fixed communication, mobile communication, broadband and internet services. The company also provides information and communication technology services to enterprise customers with big data, information security, cloud computing and IDC capabilities.

It is also expanding businesses into innovative technology services such as the internet of things and artificial intelligence. Such capabilities are intended to create an optimal communication environment to enable what the company says is a “wonderful and convenient” digital lifestyle.

The new tech deal will see Nokia continue its long-term partnership with CHT which has been in place from the deployment of 2G networks, providing equipment from its latest AirScale portfolio across 4,000 new sites to boost performance and capacity. It will also support CHT’s ambition of continuing its market leadership by unlocking the full potential of 5G, coupled with achieving a significantly lower carbon footprint.

The move will aim to support CHT’s competitive advantages to seize new business opportunities in the 5G era across several key industries, including manufacturing, gaming, sports and medicine with the use of services such as virtual and augmented reality, and 4K for live streaming.

Nokia will supply CHT with a wide range of systems from its AirScale Single RAN equipment portfolio, including macro base stations, small cells, 5G Massive MIMO antennas (64TRX and 32TRX), and passive RRH (8TRX and 4TRX) supporting different spectrum bands. These will support CHT’s ongoing 5G coverage enhancement, network optimisation, and will ensure the best user experience for outdoor and indoor enterprise use scenarios. The deal also includes network implementation and optimisation services.

“This enhanced deal with our technology partner, Nokia, will help us to maintain our position as the number one mobile operator in Taiwan by delivering new and innovative services for our customers,” said Alex Chien, president of network technology group, Chunghwa Telecom.

Tommi Uitto, president of mobile networks at Nokia, added: “We are excited to continue our longstanding partnership with Chunghwa Telecom. In particular, I am pleased that our energy-efficient AirScale portfolio will support its sustainability efforts by reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions.

“Taiwan’s mobile market is highly competitive with customer expectations for innovation and quality, so I am delighted Chunghwa is also prioritising making its network and footprint greener.”