HELSINKI, March 5, 2026, 13:48 (EET)
- Nokia and Telia Finland are teaming up to develop and test AI-RAN use cases, with a focus on rolling out commercial applications such as mission-critical services.
- Nokia says its efforts target better network performance and aim to back AI-powered apps on 5G.
- FMR LLC’s stake in Nokia topped the 5% mark this week, according to a disclosure from the company.
Nokia Oyj on Wednesday announced a partnership with Telia Finland aimed at building and trialing “AI-RAN” use cases, as both operators and vendors search for concrete ways to integrate artificial intelligence into 5G networks. According to the companies, the project is set to target commercial applications spanning multiple segments, including mission-critical services. GlobeNewswire
Here’s the pitch: telecom companies head into Mobile World Congress with their 5G infrastructure mostly in place, yet the search for fresh income streams and leaner operations continues. Automation gets another push, especially tools promising lower energy bills or fewer truck rolls — those are priorities again.
AI-RAN, shorthand for integrating AI into radio access networks (RAN)—the backbone connecting mobile devices to cell towers—has a double promise. On one side, it aims to streamline how networks operate. On the other, some operators are eyeing fresh revenue by selling idle computing resources right at the network’s edge, near where the data comes in.
Pallavi Mahajan, Nokia’s chief technology and AI officer, put it plainly: “Networks must deliver deterministic, trusted connectivity.” Stefan Jäverbring, Telia’s Group CTO, expects the project to “benefit our customers with increased network performance and reliability.” Nokia also plans to run AI‑RAN demonstrations in Barcelona, where it will test out monetising spare GPU capacity by selling AI compute to external customers. Nokia Corporation | Nokia
Nokia’s U.S.-listed shares picked up roughly 1% in early premarket action Thursday.
Nokia is set up at Hall 3, stand 3B20, as Mobile World Congress takes place March 2-5 at Fira Gran Via in Barcelona.
Nokia is in the race for the next round of radio spending, battling Sweden’s Ericsson, China’s Huawei, and other rivals. Open RAN, which separates hardware from software and lets operators blend suppliers, is pushing equipment makers to show their products can handle the realities of more tangled, multi-vendor setups.
Still, AI-RAN remains in its early stages, and vendors may find pilots dragging on longer than they’d like. Converting idle compute into a viable product isn’t simple—power consumption, security risks, and figuring out who pays for additional cell site chips all loom large.
Nokia disclosed that FMR LLC’s indirect stake moved above the 5% mark on March 2, according to a notification. The firm now holds 5.04% of Nokia’s shares and 4.83% of its voting rights. The company currently has 5,742,239,696 shares and votes outstanding.
