Nokia highlighted that its IPAA+ antenna overcomes the challenge of finding space on towers and rooftops to expand 5G coverage
Finnish vendor Nokia said it is deploying its modular Interleaved Passive Active Antenna (IPAA+) for Globe Telecom across the southern islands of the Philippines.
In a release, the vendor noted that this new deployment will help to accelerate 5G deployment in the region.
Nokia’s IPAA+ solution has a light, modular design and supports all 5G frequency bands in a single antenna, including the 2.6 GHz spectrum band.
Nokia’s IPAA+ also has the capability to support other bands, which means that previous investments made by operators are protected.
The vendor also highlighted that the antenna overcomes the challenge of finding space on towers and rooftops to expand 5G coverage, with its lightweight and more compact design. Combining the 4G passive and 5G active antennas together into a compact solution can also help lower site rental costs and make the acquisition of sites faster, the vendor added.
Nokia and Globe’s engineering team also successfully trialed a Globe Telecom-specific variant of the IPAA+ in the field. The field test was carried out in Tantangan, South Cotabato, on the island of Mindanao.
Subscribe now to get the daily newsletter from RCR Wireless News
Joel Agustin, SVP and head, network planning and engineering at Globe Telecom, said: “Our enduring pain points in site acquisition and TCO efficiency are being addressed by the features and design of the IPAA+. Simplifying the rollout of 4G and 5G services will greatly improve our customer experience especially in the southern region of the Philippines.”
Jeciel Nuyda, president at Nokia Shanghai Bell Philippines, said: “We are delighted to partner with Globe Telecom on this deal that will see our state-of-the-art IPAA+ products being deployed in the Philippines. These products are lighter, more modular and cover all sub-6GHz 5G frequency bands.”
In February 2021, Nokia had announced that it was selected by Globe Telecom for a three-year deal to upgrade its existing 4G network, as well as expand the geographical reach of its 5G network at over 1,000 sites in the Philippines. That deployment covered the second and third largest islands of Mindanao and Visayas and began in 2021, with completion expected this year.
Under the terms of the agreement, Nokia was expected to provide equipment and services from its comprehensive 5G AirScale portfolio to build out the Radio Access Network (RAN), including base stations and other radio access products. Globe Telecom will also use Nokia’s high-capacity AirScale massive MIMO Adaptive Antenna solution, which utilizes64TR radios, to boost coverage and performance.
Globe Telecom launched 66 new 5G sites across 74 cities and towns in the Philippines in the first quarter of the year. This brings its 5G outdoor coverage to 97.21% in the National Capital Region and 90.28% in key cities in Visayas and Mindanao. This expansion has enabled Globe to reach 4.3 million devices on its 5G network in March 2023, according to previous reports.