The document discusses Nokia's AirScale radio access solution for building future-proof radio networks. Some key points: 1) AirScale allows networks to evolve from 4G to 5G to support growing IoT demands, through a flexible architecture that can instantly meet new demands. 2) It provides unlimited scalability through centralized radio access network deployment and the ability to add additional baseband processing capacity from the cloud. 3) AirScale is already 5G-ready through a software upgrade and has been tested on various spectrum bands, including low-frequency 700MHz bands for wide coverage.

1. You can’t see the future,
but you can be ready for it
Build the future-proof radio network
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2. A new focusContents
It’s not about the technology, but how it’s used
Invest for today, be ready for the future
Act now, avoid playing catch-up later
Set your future-proof network investment strategy
Evolve your radio network, don’t replace it
Three guiding principles for a new radio network
Harness the cloud’s speed and scalability for your customers
When innovation just can’t wait
Tested and ready for 5G
Save energy, save money, aim for zero emissions
A complete radio access solution ready for the future
Ten ways AirScale delivers ten times the performance
Secure your future
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3. As the world goes fully digital, countless new ways to use communications
will arise. Applications and services will become extraordinarily diverse.
Operators will enjoy almost unlimited opportunities to grow revenue and
improve profitability. You can’t see the future, but you can prepare for
future success by focusing on use cases instead of the nuts and bolts of
new technology.
To enable all the possibilities, networks must become ultra-flexible.
Radio networks will no longer be just about connectivity, they will be
programmable, easy to reshape in an instant to meet new demands.
Networks will evolve from 4G to 5G to support explosive growth in the
Internet of Things (IoT). So, it’s vital your investments in today’s business
success must also assure your network is future-proof.
It’s not about the technology,
but how it’s used
Take the long-term view
It is no longer viable to replace chunks of infrastructure to make way for
new technologies.
How can operators ensure the decisions they make now will work way into
the future as we move into the 5G era? Exactly what is it that makes a
network future-proof?
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4. As a decision-maker, you work to busy schedules and must achieve rapid
results. One immediate concern may be how to deliver gigabit experiences
as soon as possible to gain market share.
And as traffic volumes soar, you face the question of how to expand
network capacity without multiplying costs at the same rate. A thousand
times more traffic cannot lead to a thousand times higher energy bills.
Yet these urgent needs of today must not compromise tomorrow’s
profitability. Networks also need to be prepared for different needs,
from high throughput for virtual reality, to low latency for self-driving
vehicles, to wide connectivity for billions of IoT devices.
A new network approach is needed to meet the coming communications
needs of humans and machines.
Invest for today,
be ready for the future
Build your business, save the planet
Climate change is becoming an increasingly important business pressure
point. Reducing a radio network’s carbon emissions is a positive message
that will help win new customers and reduce network energy costs.
It’s a double boost to operator profitability.
8.4 billionconnected things in use in 20171
devices will be connected by 20201
5G will be worth
$US to mobile operators by 20252
20.4 billion
247 billion
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5. Although you can’t yet know the detail of all the coming use cases,
you can define your value proposition and plan a future-proof roadmap.
Now is the time to act because change is already upon us:
Edge computing is critical for the Internet of Things (IoT):
Networks will need to support various response-sensitive uses, from
industrial automation to autonomous driving. By 2019, 45 percent of IoT
data will be stored, processed and acted upon at the network edge3
Ultra-dense networks (UDNs) to cover indoor and outdoor urban needs:
Current sites will not meet forecast traffic demand. Extreme network density
to deliver cell edge data rates of 100 Mbps to everyone will require the
integration of macro and small cell networks4
No end to bandwidth growth:
Streaming media will grow 17 times from 2014 levels, accounting for
71 percent of the total bandwidth demand by 20205
5G launches are imminent:
For example, Telia aims to introduce 5G services in Helsinki in 20186.
Meanwhile, Korean operators are expected to build 5G in time for 2018’s
major winter sports tournament. Being first to market is a huge competitive
advantage and embeds innovation into a brand’s reputation.
Operators that invest wisely today in their radio networks will be ahead of
the curve, putting them in a strong competitive position and minimizing
future capital and operating expenditure.
Act now, avoid playing catch-up later
Right now, delivering the gigabit experience is a prime opportunity.
But you need to move fast to win a strong competitive position at the right time.
What solutions are available now, ready for delivery?
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The future won’t wait
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6. All operators face a choice of technology roadmaps to help them achieve their
strategic goals. Deciding how to prioritize investments to create the highest
business value can be challenging in a world of ever-evolving technologies.
Preparing your network for the future begins by considering what it will
need to do. Important capabilities that will be needed will include scalability
to instantly meet new customer demands, low latency to run demanding
use cases, and huge connectivity for vast numbers of devices. The network
will also need to be able to maximize all available spectrum and adopt new
technologies the moment they arise.
Set your future-proof network
investment strategy
Five future possibilities that are proven today
Many capabilities that will be needed to capture future 5G and IoT op-
portunities exist today.
It is already possible to:
Compete with the fastest IT players by launching a new service in
days or even hours, instead of the months telco networks have
conventionally needed
Run compelling applications like virtual reality at events that give
spectators a whole new experience with data rates beyond a gigabit
Win business with services that always offer the best possible
experience by using local radio conditions to adapt to the load
or quality needs of your customers
Build your radio network the way you want by locating radio
processing at cell sites, edge cloud or even hundreds of
kilometers away
Show your customers that your brand is the greenest around by
evolving to zero carbon emission base station sites
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7. Evolve your radio network,
don’t replace it
Your existing network is working well and delivering great customer
experiences. It wouldn’t make sense to tear it all down and build a new
network from scratch. With Nokia AirScale radio access you don’t have to.
Nokia AirScale is the new way to build networks. One that works with and
evolves existing Nokia Flexi networks. With AirScale in place, you can quickly
deploy 5G on existing LTE bands, as well as new bands, such as mmWave.
Now you can use your existing network investments fully and take advantage
of new spectrum, winning new business along the way:
4.5G: extends mobile broadband to support new IoT and public safety use
cases by upgrading existing Nokia Flexi base stations
4.5G Pro: Nokia AirScale delivers 1 Gbps peak data rates. Right now, the
gigabit experience is a prime revenue opportunity for operators
4.9G: Offer 5G-like services with the AirScale radio platform and Cloud
RAN deployments to achieve data rates way over 1 Gbps and with ultra-low
latency of 2 ms
Nokia AirScale Radio Access supports any radio technology
(2G, 3G, TDD-LTE, FDD-LTE, 4.5G Pro, 4.9G and 5G) running
simultaneously and integrates carrier-grade Wi-Fi access.
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8. To deliver substantially higher performance for the future programmable
world, radio access networks must be far more flexible than today’s
monolithic architecture allows.
Three guiding principles for
a new radio network
Close the gap between telco and IT
– launch an app in hours!
With Nokia AirScale radio access, you can launch a new
service with a lead time of just days or even hours, instead
of the months telco networks have conventionally needed.
Innovation moves from being an ambition, to become part
of the normal everyday business of delivering high quality,
reliable telco services.
Deploy services instantly
Based on the telco cloud, AirScale radio access can address a
world of new applications, services and plug-ins created by a wide
range of developers. These can be integrated into the RAN and use
information from real radio conditions.
Open for innovation
Networks must able to deploy services instantly to take immediate
advantage of the latest performance enhancements. This capability
is the IT world’s hallmark, with players using cloud computing to
introduce new software continuously.
Scale to unlimited capacity and connectivity
AirScale deploys an innovative network architecture. One that’s
ready for new licensed and unlicensed spectrum and new 5G radio
technologies. Now you can scale up to deliver unlimited capacity and
IoT connectivity - all without lengthy preparation.
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9. Being cloud-based, AirScale makes resources for new functions available in minutes instead of
the months conventional networks need. You can quickly react to new demands by launching
services to boost business, or partner with over-the-top (OTT) players.
AirScale Cloud RAN delivers high bandwidth and low latency on existing assets like aggregation
sites and transport infrastructure. Radio functions can be run in large centralized data centers
or smaller distributed sites, or a combination of both. Yet, all components are efficiently
managed as a single cloud.
But that’s not all. AirScale runs Nokia Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) on the same
AirFrame data center /cloud infrastructure servers as the Cloud RAN. This makes it easy for
applications and services to seamlessly use real radio data. Your customers can enjoy locally
relevant services with near-zero latency.
Nokia AirScale Cloud RAN is
commercially proven
Nokia has shown the world’s first demonstration of
Cloud Single RAN for 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G baseband,
as well as 2G and 3G radio network controllers
in the cloud. In addition, SK Telecom in Korea
has used AirScale to achieve the world’s first
deployment of Cloud RAN in a commercial network.
The cloud base station features a functional split
between real-time and non-real-time traffic,
bridging 350 km on the midhaul interface over
Ethernet between the radio access point and
AirFrame Data Center while maintaining excellent
key performance indicators (KPIs).
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Harness the cloud’s speed and
scalability for your customers
INSTANT SERVICE DEPLOYMENT
Commercial Cloud RAN
Cloud Single RAN demo
3G Cloud RNC
World’s first
Start your
virtualization
journey
Multi-layer
Distributed and
centralized
Fronthaul options,
including Ethernet
Split RT / NRT traffic
for lowest TCO
Business agility
Continuous software
delivery and rapid
innovation
Scalability
Meet any demand,
anywhere at anytime
Evolutionary
Licensed / unlicensed
spectrum
Legacy network support
Run reliable low-latency
services
5G readiness
Our experience shows that the Cloud RAN
KPI values are equivalent to a legacy LTE
network. This was the first bridging of such a long
a distance with Cloud RAN and the Cloud base
station protocol stack being split. Cloud-based
radio networks deliver the scalability and flexibility
we need to meet the future data demands of our
customers, and enable new levels of experience
and maximum operational efficiency, paving the
way to 5G.
Mr. Jinhyo Park, SVP,
Head of N/W R&D Center of SK Telecom
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10. Stay ahead of the competition. AirScale core and radio functions run on the
same Nokia AirFrame data center servers, aligning them more closely than ever.
New software can be deployed across the network without needing to upgrade
each network element, for rapid, almost continuous network upgrades.
For example, the full power of Nokia Smart Scheduler can be deployed on large
cell clusters and managed from one place to improve cell coordination, load
balancing, traffic aggregation and interference mitigation.
Unlimited scaling
Spectrum
Radio technologies Cell sizes
Users
Connected cells
A constant headache for network planners is to ensure capacity to always
satisfy demand, otherwise customers complain.
AirScale provides the cure through centralization that enables the deployment
of unlimited scalability and unrestricted connectivity, wherever and whenever it
is needed. That’s important because 5G will create huge traffic volume, much of
it arising unpredictably.
AirScale Base Station offers market-leading 28 Gbps capacity per system
(baseband) module. If you need more capacity, system modules can be chained
together, while further baseband processing capacity can even be delivered
from the cloud.
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OPEN FOR INNOVATION
When innovation
just can’t wait
Eliminate capacity
bottlenecks forever
SCALABILITY
With Nokia AirScale Radio Access, large pools of up to 144 cells are possible
and can be extended by chaining system modules with a Centralized RAN
for an unlimited number of connected cells.
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11. AirScale radio access is 5G ready. With a simple upgrade of radio unit software,
you can deploy 5G on existing LTE bands, sharing spectrum with LTE where
feasible. AirScale has even been tested running 5G signals on the 700 MHz
band, among others. This is the first solution proven with 5G on low frequency
bands, enabling wide coverage through by easily re-using spectrum.
AirScale is the basis for Nokia 5G FIRST, the world’s first 5G solution that’s
ready to go.
5G FIRST spans the entire network, using Nokia AirScale and AirFrame
platforms including AirScale massive MIMO Adaptive Antenna, Cloud Packet
Core and mobile transport. This complete and versatile solution is supported
by a full range of services to get you into the world of 5G as quickly and
smoothly as possible.
Unlike technology showcases using proprietary specifications, 5G FIRST is
based on well-defined market requirements. This lets you launch specific 5G
use cases immediately, knowing that your investments will deliver substantial
returns long into the future.
5G FIRST is also backed by a community program that is accelerating the
development of new 5G services.
Tested and ready for 5G
Turning your 5G vision into business reality begins with the use cases. Nokia
5G Acceleration Services help you build a solid business case, plan your 5G
network and operations and complete the necessary transformation.
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12. With around 80 percent of a network’s energy being consumed by base station
sites, energy efficiency makes good business sense by helping you to cut costs
and lower emissions by decoupling traffic growth from the energy bill.
Nokia AirScale Base Station works in combination with clever energy-saving
features such as very low energy use when there is no traffic, or shutting off
network layers experiencing low traffic, to reduce energy consumption. The
result is up to 60 percent higher energy efficiency. With sites consuming less
energy, you can begin to migrate your network to carbon-free energy. This
can be in the form of grid-based or Nokia base station renewable solutions to
achieve further cost savings and substantially reduced emissions.
High-power single and multiband radios reduce the number of radio units
needed at sites, making AirScale base station easier and faster to set up with
as much as 66 percent less installation time. It also blends more easily into the
background for an almost invisible, environmentally-friendly site.
lower total cost of ownershiplower energy consumption
AirScale has and up to
Save energy, save money,
aim for zero emissions
Nokia AirScale Base Station features a simple one-click mounting system
that cuts installation time by 66 percent.
60% 50%
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13. Nokia AirScale is more than just a new base station or new radio access
software. This is an entirely new radio access network with all the
hardware and software needed to prepare you for the IoT and 5G future.
All of AirScale’s innovation is compatible with legacy radio networks so you
can combine AirScale Base Station with installed infrastructure to make
full and continued use of your existing investments.
Nokia AirScale Radio Access includes the following elements:
• Nokia AirScale Base Station comprising single, dual and triple band
radio units; and indoor and outdoor system modules
• Nokia AirScale Active Antennas
• Nokia AirScale Compact Active Antennas
• Nokia AirScale massive MIMO Adaptive Antennas
• Nokia AirScale Cloud RAN
• Nokia AirScale Cloud base station
• Nokia AirScale RNC
• Nokia AirScale Wi-Fi including
• Nokia AirScale Wi-Fi Controller
• Wi-Fi access points with several variants
• Common software across 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G radio access technologies
• Nokia Zero emissions solutions
• Services
A complete radio access solution
ready for the future
A more active approach to antennas
Nokia AirScale moves antenna technology into the 5G era with active antennas
and by introducing massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (mMIMO) technology.
These high-performance antennas boost spectral efficiency substantially,
enable beamforming to focus and improve coverage, and increase capacity.
Massive MIMO is a central technology of 5G.
Deploying an active antenna is a different process to that for a passive antenna.
With our expert support, you can plan and prepare your active antenna strategy
now to be confident they will work from day one.
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Nokia AirScale Radio Access
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14. Meets the needs of data-hungry and lucrative new applications and
services from 5G and IoT through scalable baseband capacity
Delivers continuous software updates to ensure the latest capabilities
are brought on line quickly, giving you a competitive edge by delivering
new experiences as soon as they become available
Delivers ultra-low latency, which is essential to meet the needs of
exciting new applications like remote surgery or autonomous cars.
4.9G is already demonstrated to achieve 2 ms latency.
Supports multi-access edge computing for new apps that make use of
local context to deliver more compelling, business-winning services
Delivers extreme broadband speeds that are ten times the
performance of previous generation radio access base stations
Uses 60 percent less energy for lower costs to help
improve profitability
Supports 2G-5G radio technologies, licensed and unlicensed spectrum
- no matter what devices customers use, you can deliver the services
they want, seamlessly
Existing radio network infrastructure can be used well into the
future for the highest return on legacy investments
Offers complete freedom since it is cloud-based and supports
different architectures
Installs easily and quickly for lower rollout costs
Ten ways AirScale delivers
ten times the performance
Nokia’s ability to offer future-proofed 5G hardware,
delivered as part of a distributed, centralized or cloud
RAN architecture, differentiates it from its closest competitors.”
Michael Sullivan-Trainor,
Executive Analyst, Telecom Technology Business Research, Inc
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15. Nokia is a registered trademark of Nokia Corporation. Other product and company names
mentioned herein may be trademarks or trade names of their respective owners.
Nokia Oyj
Karaportti 3
FI-02610 Espoo
Finland
Tel. +358 (0) 10 44 88 000
Product code C401-012008-R-201606-1-EN
© Nokia 2017
References
1 Gartner press release
2 ABI Research
3 IDC predictions
4 Nokia
5 Bell Labs mobility traffic report
6 Telia news article
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