Nokia on May 31 announced that it has been selected by MetaLINK to provide fixed wireless access coverage and boost broadband network capacity in Northwest Ohio, Northeast Indiana, and parts of Southern Michigan. Using Nokia’s Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) RAN technology, MetaLINK will address growing demand for broadband coverage by connecting more homes and businesses in this rural area, delivering faster speeds and increased network capacity to MetaLINK’s customers.
Nokia is partnering with Winncom Technologies, a global distributor of CBRS, LTE, Broadband, and FWA products, to deliver the deployment. Mike Cook, VP, business development at Winncom Technologies, said: “We at Winncom are thrilled to be involved in the important partnership between Nokia and MetaLINK. MetaLINK has been our trusted local partner for many years, and they are known for their expertise in finding the most effective technology to offer to their customers. Nokia's radio technology is currently leading the market and offers cutting-edge solutions, with a clear path towards growth to 5G and beyond.”
A well-established ISP providing high-speed wireless and fiber internet in parts of Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan, MetaLINK turned to Nokia to support its growth and expansion into new markets. The new partnership will leverage MetaLINK’s CBRS spectrum, as well as radio access technology from Nokia’s AirScale products and systems, to provide high-bandwidth internet services for rural regions with limited boradband access.
Employing Nokia’s CBRS radio and baseband units, MetaLINK will now be able to improve customers' internet experience and connect more homes and businesses in areas where it has not been cost-effective to deploy fiber. Fernando Torres, chief operating officer at MetaLINK Technologies, remarked: “Partnering with Nokia and leveraging its technology leadership in network innovation will help us improve customers internet experience and connect more homes and businesses with high-bandwidth internet services."
The new deployment is part of Nokia's ongoing supply of standards-based 5G and fiber broadband technologies to major service providers and operators, as well as hyperscalers, enterprises, and government organizations in the U.S. The company in a press release contends that more than 90 percent of the U.S. population is connected by Nokia network systems, while seven out of 10 fiber homes in the US are connected using Nokia fixed network equipment.
Shaun McCarthy, President of North America Sales at Nokia, concluded: “We are excited to partner with MetaLINK to meet the growing fixed wireless broadband demand in Ohio. This partnership exemplifies Nokia’s commitment to providing exceptional solutions that drive tangible outcomes for our customers. By leveraging our industry-leading technology, we will help narrow the digital divide and bring reliable connectivity to more communities.”
In the following video, Nokia describes how, with additional 5G spectrum in the mmWave bands becoming available in every major market, FWA technology can gain much-needed capacity.
