LG Uplus partners with Nokia to expand 5G coverage in South Korea

As part of the deal, Nokia will install its cost-effective, next-generation small cell AirScale Indoor (ASiR) systems, comprising Nokia's Digital Baseband unit and ASiR-pRRH solution (pico Remote Radio Head), in a range of indoor locations including shopping malls and office buildings. Featuring multi-operator and multi-band support, the multi-technology system will allow LG Uplus to provide 5G connectivity.

Nokia on Monday announced the signing of an agreement with LG Uplus to expand and enhance the latter's 5G network in South Korea, enabling seamless 5G connectivity between indoor and outdoor locations.

"We are delighted to have been chosen by LG Uplus to provide the infrastructure that will be critical to a seamless 5G experience. Having worked with LG Uplus on a number of other recent projects, we believe the AirScale system is the right choice to complement existing solutions and enable next-generation 5G connectivity," said Tommi Uitto, President, Mobile Networks, Nokia.

As part of the deal, Nokia will install its cost-effective, next-generation small cell AirScale Indoor (ASiR) systems, comprising Nokia's Digital Baseband unit and ASiR-pRRH solution (pico Remote Radio Head), in a range of indoor locations including shopping malls and office buildings. Featuring multi-operator and multi-band support, the multi-technology system will allow LG Uplus to provide 5G connectivity.

Most importantly, Nokia's AirScale indoor solution is compact and flexible in nature which means it can be deployed quickly in strategic locations when additional capacity is required. It is ideal for both consumers and enterprise customers.

Nokia ASiR supports all technologies (2G/3G/4G/5G) and is designed to upgrade 4G to 5G NR via plug-and-play with minimal on-site working if required. It also features a web-based manager that enables remote configuration without the need for a separate application, making it an ideal replacement for traditional, complex and expensive distributed antenna system (DAS) systems.

The 5G expansion deal continues the long-standing partnership between Nokia and LG Uplus. Prior to this, the two companies have collaborated on LTE, 5G and digital projects.

Commenting on the extended partnership, DaeHee Kim, Senior Vice President, Head of Network Infra Technology Group, LG Uplus, said, "Nokia's AirScale system will help provide seamless 5G connectivity in indoor locations and environments. Its cost-effective, flexibility and compact design enables us to enhance our 5G offering.