RACSA and Nokia have installed 30 5G SA sites in major Costa Rican cities, and a further 170 are scheduled for this year
Costa Rican operator Radiográfica Costarricense SA (RACSA) has deployed the country’s first 5G standalone (SA) network using products from the Nokia Airscale portfolio. The initial roll out brought 5G connectivity to residents and business in San Jose, Cartago and Limon, as well as several rural communities across the country.
In addition to providing faster internet access and supporting IoT applications, the 5G SA network also provides Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services, bringing critical connectivity to regions that don’t have existing telecoms infrastructure.
“The utilization of Nokia technology represents a pivotal step in Costa Rica’s digital transformation which RACSA has been playing a key role in for the last 103 years. By deploying the first 5G network in the country, we are not only improving connectivity for businesses and government entities but also enhancing the quality of life for our citizens,” said RACSA General Manager Mauricio Barrantes.
The specific technology in question includes Nokia’s Massive MIMO radios, remote radio heads and base stations, as well as the vendor’s MantaRay Network Management solutions, which promises a unified and automated view of the network for better monitoring and management. Nokia is further providing its FastMile 5G Receivers and has integrated its 5G SA Compact Mobility Unit (CMU) Core into the network.
“We are excited to be collaborating with RACSA to bring 5G to Costa Rica for the first time. Our extensive portfolio of solutions will ensure a fast, efficient rollout and will pave the way for exciting new opportunities across various sectors. This deployment underscores our commitment to enabling digital transformation across Latin America,” commented Bruno Leite, the head of Nokia’s mobile networks unit for Latin America.
According to the vendor, 30 sites have already been installed in major cities. A further 170 are scheduled for this year, and there are further plans to expand to 500 sites in subsequent phases.
