Nokia's enhanced fiber access portfolio to expedite 5G deployments

With WiFi 6 that includes several core 5G technologies, Communication service providers (CSPs) can effectively offload 5G traffic onto a home Wi-Fi network, thereby reducing spectrum consumption.

Telecom vendor Nokia is enhancing its fiber access portfolio to accelerate the deployment of 5G networks and enhance the end-user experience.

In a press release on Tuesday, Nokia said that it is helping operators to quickly and cost-effectively accelerate 5G deployments by integrating the strengths of FTTH and 5G.

Solutions in the enhanced portfolio include a new ultra-high capacity, low-latency Lightspan MF fiber access node that enables operators to use existing fiber access network for efficient mobile transport at 50 percent lower cost, a new Beacon 6 Wi-Fi gateway with Wi-Fi 6 and Nokia Bell Labs low-latency technology and 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) gateways to complement fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and bring gigabit broadband to more people in the most cost-effective way.

Using the new Lightspan MF-2 fiber access node which is based on Nokia's Quillion chipset family, operators can easily and seamlessly add mobile 5G transport capabilities to their existing FTTH infrastructure.

According to Nokia, the existing FTTH infrastructure can deliver the performance needed to support 5G. With this, operators can also save up to 50 percent in transport costs by eliminating the need to build a dedicated transport network and quickly move to future fiber evolutions like 25G PON and beyond to ensure 5G needs continue to be met.

Fixed networks will be the critical technology behind 5G's success. By leveraging existing FTTH and in-home Wi-Fi networks, operators will be able to deploy 5G faster and ensure a seamless, powerful 5G end-user experience is achieved.

Sandra Motley, President of Fixed Networks at Nokia

With WiFi 6 that includes several core 5G technologies, Communication service providers (CSPs) can effectively offload 5G traffic onto a home Wi-Fi network, thereby reducing spectrum consumption. This will free up valuable 5G capacity for mobile devices and applications like self-driving vehicles, the Finnish vendor said.