Nokia and e& Introduce MEA’s First Commercial Cloud RAN Deployment on HPE Telco Cloud Infrastructure

• The achievement underscores Nokia and e& UAE’s strong commitment to drive future ready network evolution to cloud RAN
• Deployment to enable future use cases enabled by AI-RAN
• The deployed solution is powered by HPE ProLiant Compute servers

Nokia, a global leader in telecommunications technology, has partnered with e& UAE, the flagship telecom arm of global technology group e&, to successfully launch the first commercial deployment of Nokia’s Cloud RAN solution powered by HPE carrier grade servers in the Middle East.

This landmark achievement showcases the continuous innovative drive of Nokia and e& UAE for future radio access networks enabling the full potential of AI-RAN, and demonstrating both companies’ commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions that redefine network performance, efficiency, intelligence and automation

The Nokia 5G cloud RAN solution integrated Nokia’s virtualized Distributed Units (vDU) and Centralized Units (vCU), on HPE ProLiant DL110 servers. This cloud-native deployment enables e& UAE to scale RAN functions flexibly, simplify operations through automation, and introduce intelligence with AI-driven RAN capabilities.

Combined with the ability to seamlessly operate in a hybrid RAN environment, this architecture ensures smooth co-existence of Cloud RAN with purpose-built RAN, offering investment protection and deployment agility. The solution integrated as well Nokia’s latest Habrok Massive MIMO radios, deployed on the 3.5 GHz (n78) spectrum in 5G Standalone (SA) mode, delivering superior spectral efficiency, capacity, and energy performance.  

This milestone underscores Nokia’s technology leadership in driving cloud-native RAN evolution in partnership with CSPs. By combining automation, intelligence, and hybrid RAN flexibility with high-performance radio solutions, Nokia provides a future-proof path to Cloud RAN.

The collaboration with e& UAE sets a new benchmark for innovation in the Middle East and Africa region, reinforcing Nokia’s role as a trusted partner in helping operators deliver the world’s fastest, most reliable, and most efficient 5G networks.

Marwan Bin Shakar, Chief Technology Officer, e& UAE, said: “Partnering with Nokia allows us to deliver on our strategic vision of creating smarter, more efficient networks that meet the evolving needs of our customers and the region as a whole. With Habrok Massive MIMO on n78, we’re unlocking measurable gains in capacity and energy performance while keeping a seamless hybrid RAN alongside our purpose-built footprint. Cloudification of RAN will provide us with scalability, enable the reuse of COTS hardware, and position our network for rapid innovation and agile service delivery.”

Aji Ed, VP and Head of Cloud RAN at Nokia, commented, “This deployment is a testament to Nokia’s commitment to innovation and leadership in Cloud RAN technology. By working closely with e& UAE, we are enabling a new era of network transformation that will benefit both businesses and society. We are proud to support e& UAE in delivering advanced connectivity solutions to their customers.”

Fernando Castro Cristin, VP and GM Telco Infrastructure Business, HPE, said; “HPE’s collaboration with Nokia and e& UAE to deploy the first MEA commercial Cloud RAN will help operators accelerate their time-to-market while providing a scalable cloud-native infrastructure and clearing the path for new 5G services for their customers.

This joint effort combines Nokia’s RAN expertise, e&’s innovation drive, and HPE’s proficiency in cloud-native edge infrastructure to deliver a resilient, efficient solution tailored for the region’s needs. 

This deployment is part of e& UAE’s broader strategy to leverage automation, intelligence, and hybrid RAN technologies to transform connectivity and services. By integrating Nokia’s Cloud RAN solution, e& UAE is positioned to deliver unmatched network performance and efficiency, further solidifying its role as a leader in the telecommunications industry.