Nokia and O2 switch on 5G across London and Slough

Nokia and O2 switch on 5G across London and Slough

Press Release

O2's 5G network goes live connecting homes, transport hubs and key business areas using Nokia 5G technology.

Major entertainment and sports venues will now be able to deliver superior connectivity and customer experience including around The O2 and Twickenham Stadium - the home of England Rugby.

17 October 2019

Espoo, Finland - Nokia has announced it is powering O2's 5G network, as it goes live in London and Slough today. Across the capital, all of O2's business and consumer customers will now have access to faster, more reliable connections as well as enjoying the benefits of 5G around iconic live event and sporting sites, including The O2 and Twickenham Stadium.

The megacity is home to 10 million people with over 50,000 international visitors daily - making London the most demanding region in the UK for network performance and one that will benefit greatly from next generation connectivity. The three-year project sees Nokia and O2 build on their relationship and upgrade O2's 4G networks to 5G in and around London, as well as densifying the network to increase capacity and coverage in the most demanding areas.

As the sole RAN provider to O2 across the densely populated London, Nokia is working with O2 to execute its intelligence-led rollout strategy, which prioritizes connecting transport hubs, key business areas, and entertainment and sports venues to ensure superior customer experience for local and international visitors. As such, it will enable businesses & enterprises to benefit from the now-live 5G technology, therefore enhancing connectivity and operational capabilities.

Brendan O'Reilly, O2's Chief Technology Officer, said: As we roll out 5G, our intelligence-led strategy is driven by data and insight to identify where customers will benefit from 5G the most - Nokia is helping us to deliver that in one of the most high-density subscriber areas in the world. The transformational power of 5G yields huge potential for businesses and consumers alike, allowing them to get a head start on competitors.

Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks at Nokia, said: Nokia and O2 are bringing 5G to the UK capital, delivering the world's most iconic venues to devices globally. Nokia has exactly the right technology for this, given our leadership in small cells and, more broadly, end-to-end 5G. It's great to build on our long-standing relationship with O2 to deliver a superior experience for businesses and consumers alike.

The launch of O2's live network in the UK marks Nokia's 15th live 5G network worldwide and reflects Nokia's expertise in building 5G for megacities - following the launch with Sprint in New York, Los Angeles and Washington DC. Nokia currently has 48 commercial 5G deals with operators around the world and is involved in more than 100 5G-related customer engagements. As with O2, many of Nokias commercial deals involve radio access technology as well as additional technology from Nokias end-to-end portfolio - a sign that operators are recognizing Nokias unique position and capability as the right choice for networks with long-term evolution in mind.

About Nokia

We create the technology to connect the world. We develop and deliver the industrys only end-to-end portfolio of network equipment, software, services and licensing that is available globally. Our customers include communications service providers whose combined networks support 6.1 billion subscriptions, as well as enterprises in the private and public sector that use our network portfolio to increase productivity and enrich lives.

Through our research teams, including the world-renowned Nokia Bell Labs, we are leading the world to adopt end-to-end 5G networks that are faster, more secure and capable of revolutionizing lives, economies and societies. Nokia adheres to the highest ethical business standards as we create technology with social purpose, quality and integrity.

www.nokia.com

About O2

O2 is a mobile network operator and the principal commercial brand of Telef nica UK Limited, which is part of the global telecommunications group Telef nica S.A, headquartered in Spain and operating in Europe, and North, Central and South America.

O2 is the UK's favourite network, providing 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G services to more than 33 million connections and operating a nationwide O2 Wifi service. It has been named uSwitch Best Network Coverage provider for two years running, and won Best Network Performance at the Mobile News Awards 2019. Global Wireless Solutions (GWS) named it Best Network for Reliability in 2018.

The company is the network of choice for mobile virtual network operators such as giffgaff, Sky Mobile and Lyca Mobile as well as managing a 50:50 joint venture with Tesco for Tesco Mobile.

O2 has around 6,700 employees and over 450 retail stores and sponsors England Rugby, The O2 and 22 O2 Academy music venues across the UK. Through a comprehensive sustainability strategy O2 is also creating work experience opportunities for 16-24 year olds via its GoThinkBig platform, enabling customers to reduce their impact on the environment by recycling their old devices through O2 Recycle and, in partnership with the NSPCC, helping parents to keep their children safe online.

O2 is the only mobile operator in the 2018 Social Mobility Employer Index and was named as one of the best places to work in the 2018 Glassdoor Employee's Choice Award.

Telef nica UK Limited is registered in England and Wales. Registration number: 1743099. Its registered office is at: 260 Bath Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 4DX, United Kingdom.

Media Inquiries:

Nokia

Communications

Phone: +358 10 448 4900

Email: press.services@nokia.com

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