Wedoany.com Report-Nov. 6, Finnish technology company Nokia has strengthened its cooperation with Japanese mobile operator SoftBank through a new agreement to modernize and expand SoftBank’s 4G and 5G radio access networks across Western Japan. The partnership aims to enhance network performance, increase capacity, and improve energy efficiency using Nokia’s latest radio and baseband technologies.

According to Nokia, the deployment will feature its latest AirScale portfolio, including Habrok Massive MIMO radios and AirScale baseband units powered by ReefShark System-on-Chip technology. These solutions are designed to deliver higher coverage and throughput while reducing power consumption, aligning with the growing focus on sustainable network operations.

The project will also incorporate Nokia’s AI-based MantaRay network management and automation platform. This system supports advanced Self-Organizing Network (SON) capabilities and enables intelligent resource optimization, helping operators automate configuration, improve service quality, and enhance overall operational efficiency.

Both Nokia and SoftBank are founding members of the AI-RAN Alliance, an industry group dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence applications in radio access networks. The two companies are jointly researching AI-RAN and 6G technologies, including the development of virtualized RAN platforms and field trials in Tokyo’s 7 GHz spectrum using Massive MIMO.

Mark Atkinson, head of Radio Access Networks (RAN) at Nokia, said: “This expanded collaboration with SoftBank highlights the strength of our long-standing partnership. Our AI-infused solutions offer best-in-class performance and energy efficiency to advance toward the next generation of 5G.”

Hideyuki Tsukuda, executive vice president and CTO of SoftBank, said: “This partnership enables us to build a smarter, greener 5G network powered by AI — enhancing efficiency, reducing emissions, and improving customer experience.”

The new collaboration builds on SoftBank’s recent efforts to explore next-generation communications technology. In October, SoftBank signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Samsung Electronics to jointly research and develop innovations in 6G and AI-based Radio Access Network (AI-RAN) systems.

Under the MoU, both companies will focus on four key areas: 6G, AI for RAN, AI and RAN integration, and Large Telecom Model (LTM). They will identify priority fields for co-development, leveraging Samsung’s advanced research expertise and SoftBank’s extensive network deployment experience to create practical use cases and validate real-world applications.

AI-RAN technology is expected to play a vital role in the transition to future 6G networks. By processing network traffic data in real time between base stations and servers, AI-RAN can dynamically adjust connections, lower latency, and increase network capacity. These innovations are anticipated to significantly improve service quality, operational flexibility, and energy efficiency across future mobile systems.

The partnership between Nokia and SoftBank marks a key step in advancing Japan’s mobile network modernization and demonstrates a shared commitment to developing AI-driven, energy-efficient communication infrastructure for the 5G and 6G eras.