Nokia has announced that, in collaboration with Nvidia, it has created the world’s first commercially available radio access platform powered by artificial intelligence. This innovation is expected to substantially boost the volume of data that operators can transmit using their current infrastructure.
This development comes less than ten months after the two companies revealed their partnership, which also saw Nvidia take a stake in the Finnish network equipment manufacturer.
The new system will enable telecommunications operators to double the amount of data sent over the same frequency band by 2028. When the equipment becomes available to operators next year, improvements in spectrum efficiency are projected to hit 50%, compared to the 20% already realized today.
The technology, which is being offered through three new hardware products and a software component, is also designed to “extend the reach of AI into the physical world.” It allows for upgrades to the still-undefined 6G standard via software updates that adhere to the Open RAN protocol, making it compatible with equipment from other vendors.
Greater efficiency in utilizing costly frequency bands will deliver higher returns for operators and enable faster future upgrades, according to Justin Hotard, Nokia’s CEO.
Alongside selling hardware components that come with pre-installed software, the Finnish company also intends to shift toward a subscription-based model, providing ongoing access to enhanced software.
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