Altice Portugal’s telecoms brand MEO embarked on a RAN modernisation and upgrade programme spanning 2G, 4G and 5G using equipment from Nokia, a multi-year contract which includes accessing the vendor’s local delivery centre to oversee the project.

Nokia stated its AirScale range would boost the performance and reliability of MEO’s RAN, enhancing the operator’s 5G capabilities in what its CTO Jose Pedro Nascimento said advances a customer-centric strategy.

Nascimento explained previous work between MEO and Nokia yielded “impressive” outcomes, with the modernisation project destined to open “exciting possibilities” for the operator’s range of consumer and business services.

Nokia’s contract with MEO involves Massive MIMO, baseband and remote radio head equipment. It stated the operator will also use its MantaRay self-organising network product “for optimisation and network assurance”.

MEO is set to access a Nokia R&D facility in Portugal to develop 5G innovations “and future technologies”. The vendor explained its global delivery centre in the nation will provide access to “cutting-edge tools”, expert staff and “operational capabilities”.

Tommi Uitto, president of Mobile Networks at Nokia, said it is “thrilled” to reinforce an existing relationship with MEO with a significant agreement focused on employing 5G to “support the digital transformation of industries and redefine customer experiences”.