Nokia has won a significant three-year contract from Telecom Italia (TIM) to expand and modernize the operator’s 5G network across underserved regions of Italy, in one of the Finnish vendor’s largest recent victories in the Italian market.
The deal, awarded after a competitive tender process, will substantially strengthen Nokia’s presence in Italy and support TIM’s ambitious nationwide digital transformation strategy.
Under the agreement, Nokia will deploy its latest AI-ready 5G AirScale portfolio, including Habrok 32 Massive MIMO radios and Pandion FDD multi-band remote radio heads, to boost coverage and capacity with a strong emphasis on smaller towns and rural areas.
The companies highlighted that the rollout will help close Italy’s digital divide, accelerate enterprise digitization, and advance long-term sustainability goals.
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TIM will also adopt Nokia’s energy-efficient Lodos baseband solution, powered by ReefShark System-on-Chip technology, as well as an expanded deployment of the MantaRay SON (Self-Organizing Network) platform for AI-driven automation and optimization. Nokia will provide full deployment, maintenance, and support services incorporating advanced AI tools.
Pietro Labriola, CEO of TIM, commented: “This partnership reinforces TIM’s leadership in building the next generation of 5G networks, delivering faster, smarter, and more sustainable connectivity throughout Italy. By combining innovation and efficiency, we are laying the digital infrastructure needed to bridge the divide, drive industrial transformation, and support the country’s sustainable growth.”
Justin Hotard, President and CEO of Nokia, added: “Our expanded partnership with Telecom Italia demonstrates how a trusted 5G network can power Italy’s next wave of digital transformation. With our AirScale portfolio, we’re enabling TIM to extend coverage and create the foundation for new AI-powered services — connecting intelligence and enhancing Italy’s global competitiveness.”
