Nokia has expanded its presence in TIM’s 5G network by securing a new three-year supply contract. Under the agreement, the Finnish vendor will deliver a range of products from its AirScale RAN portfolio, including Habrok 32 Massive MIMO radios and Pandion FDD multi-band remote radio heads (RRH), to support the Italian operator’s next phase of 5G upgrades.
TIM will also deploy Nokia’s Lodos 4G/5G baseband capacity card, which is built on the company’s ReefShark system-on-chip (SoC). The solution is designed to enhance network scalability while lowering overall energy consumption.
Nokia will also extend the deployment of its MantaRay self-organising network (SON) solution to additional regions, using AI and analytics to boost network automation, performance, and overall operational efficiency.
As noted earlier, the new agreement extends Nokia’s deployment into additional regions beyond its current footprint.
It may be tempting to assume that Nokia’s expanded role comes directly at Huawei’s expense. Over the past few years, the Chinese vendor has been steadily removed from TIM’s network after the Draghi government invoked golden power measures to bar “high-risk” suppliers from providing equipment to strategically important Italian enterprises.
However, a TIM spokesperson told Telecoms.com that, in this case, Nokia gained market share from Ericsson rather than Huawei.
Ericsson remains TIM’s largest network supplier, accounting for an estimated 67% of its mobile infrastructure following Huawei’s removal. In 2022, the Swedish vendor also secured an expanded mandate to deliver a dual-mode 5G core, supporting TIM’s transition to a full 5G standalone (SA) network.
Although Nokia isn’t poised to displace Ericsson across TIM’s entire network, the agreement still marks a significant win for the Finnish vendor.
Nokia’s expanded partnership with Telecom Italia underscores how a secure and reliable 5G network can drive Italy’s next stage of digital transformation. With our AirScale portfolio, we’re supporting TIM in broadening coverage and laying the groundwork for future AI-enabled services. Together, we’re powering intelligence and enhancing Italy’s competitiveness,” said Nokia chief executive Justin Hotard.
“This partnership reinforces TIM’s leadership in delivering next-generation 5G networks, enabling faster, smarter and more sustainable connectivity across Italy. By pairing innovation with efficiency, we are building the digital backbone that will close gaps in coverage, accelerate industrial transformation, and support the country’s long-term sustainable growth,” added TIM CEO Pietro Labriola.
The upgrade aligns with TIM’s strategic roadmap for 2025–2027.
The €6 billion programme includes an accelerated push to expand TIM’s 5G network, with the goal of stabilising connectivity revenues and advancing fixed–mobile convergence across its operations.
By the end of September, TIM’s nine-month organic revenue had risen 2.3% year-on-year to roughly €10 billion. Domestic revenue increased 1.2% to €6.9 billion, while domestic service revenue grew 1.9% to €6.4 billion.
While these figures don’t signal a dramatic turnaround for TIM, they do indicate that the company is moving in the right direction.
