Telia is launching its 5G SA core network in Finland, the first commercially available 5G SA network in the Nordic and Baltic regions. With the new 5G SA core architecture, applications in the network are provided with the required capacity and latency needs, allowing for the creation of private networks, the implementation of applications for remote control, and further industry automation for enterprise and public sector customers.

The new network architecture also sets the foundation for new innovative consumer applications requiring the functionality provided by 5G SA. Telia will also utilize the 5G SA core network to offer its residential customers in Finland broadband connections with guaranteed speeds.

The 5G SA core network operates as a fully independent network, providing for higher capacity, increased security, lower latency, and network slicing functionality, whereas current 5G networks share signaling and application data transfer priorities with existing 4G networks. The 5G SA core network expands the opportunities made possible by 5G, is built to connect with a large number of devices and provides the network functionality required for each application with the introduction of network slicing.

Allison Kirkby, Telia Company President & CEO, says: “We are excited to launch the Nordic and Baltic region’s first commercially available 5G standalone core network in Finland and be one of the first in Europe to take 5G SA into full production. This is another proof point of Telia’s commitment to innovation, enabling our customers to uniquely benefit from access to the latest available network technologies. With 5G SA we can offer both enterprise and public sector customers new opportunities such as private networks, remote control, and automation. At the same time, we will offer our residential customers guaranteed broadband speeds and lower latencies for improved streaming and gaming experiences. Together with our partner Nokia, we are proud to be bringing to life the possibilities of 5G.”

The 5G SA core network is initially launched to selected users in some 20 geographical areas across Finland, and further rollout will follow.

Pekka Lundmark, Nokia President and CEO, said: “We are proud of taking this important step with our long-time partner Telia in order to drive new 5G services for Finnish companies and consumers. Deploying Nokia’s 5G SA core is a critical piece enabling advanced 5G services in Finland and a result of dedicated work between the Nokia and Telia teams.”

Nokia is also in the process of rolling out its 5G SA Core for Telia in Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden.

The rollout in Finland includes Nokia’s cloud packet core and registers, which allow subscriber data to be consolidated into a common repository using a distributed and flexible architecture. Telia is also using Nokia’s Radio Access Network.

Nokia is leading the 5G SA Core market with over 80 CSP and enterprise customers around the world, including nearly 30 CSPs in Europe. In addition, 25 of the top 40 service providers by revenue rely on Nokia’s core network products.