- Nokia will develop an open-access fibre network for Openreach to connect 25 million UK homes and businesses by 2026.
- The partnership aims to simplify operations and meet growing broadband demand with scalable infrastructure.
What happened: Nokia and Openreach team up to enhance UK fibre rollout
Nokia has been selected by Openreach to develop an open-access fibre network that will connect 25 million UK homes and businesses by 2026. The collaboration involves building the network on Openreach’s One Network Platform, which Nokia is constructing. The network aims to address the increasing demand for high-speed broadband and to simplify operations by reducing complexity.
The Nokia platform will automate fibre services across technologies such as GPON and XGS PON. This will cut operations support system (OSS) complexity by 85%. Additionally, the modular data centre architecture will reduce power and space usage at exchange sites by over 50%. The result will be scalable connectivity tailored to urban, suburban, and rural needs.
Openreach’s director of network technology, Trevor Linney, emphasized that this initiative represents a significant step towards creating a future-proof, multi-service, and easy-to-manage network. The enhanced platform will support the efficient delivery of broadband services and improve visibility and fault detection through automation.
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Why it’s important
This partnership is a key step in addressing the growing demand for high-speed broadband in the UK. By automating and simplifying network operations, the Nokia platform will help Openreach manage and scale services more easily. Reducing complexity and power usage will ensure a more efficient and sustainable network expansion.
The open-access fibre network will connect 25 million homes and businesses. It will also improve visibility and fault detection, which are essential for maintaining a reliable broadband service. With over 300 communication providers depending on Openreach’s wholesale broadband network, this upgrade will have a broad impact across the UK.
The intent-based design of the network ensures that Openreach’s infrastructure will adapt to future needs. It will be ready to meet the growing broadband demands of both urban and rural areas. This collaboration highlights the importance of partnerships between telecom companies and technology providers in shaping the future of broadband infrastructure.
