Nokia, a Finnish telecom gear and technology provider, along with Orange France, a telecom player, completed the world’s first 20 Gbps microwave carrier aggregation (CA) link trial using E-band and traditional frequencies. During the trial, Nokia combined its latest high-power E-band microwave and traditional microwave frequencies products, which helped in enabling a high-capacity link over a distance of almost 4 kilometres. Through the trial, Nokia and Orange France demonstrated the use of microwave carrier aggregation techniques, achieving 20 Gbps throughout over a distance of 3.6 kilometres. In the trial, Nokia said that it combined the carriers from two microwave radios - one operating in the 18 GHz band and two E-band microwave radios operating in the 80 GHz band, using a single dual-band (18 + 80 GHz) antenna. Nokia will provide Orange France with its latest products from the Wavence microwave portfolio along with products from its AirScale 5G radio access portfolio. In addition, Nokia will provide Orange France with associated professional services and network management solutions. This trial is proof that Nokia’s products can help Orange France in offering its customers a high-capacity network experience over long distances. It would make a huge difference once the usage of 5G increases. Giuseppe Targia, VP Transport Business Unit, Mobile Networks at Nokia, said: “High-performance microwave backhaul is essential for extending the reach of 5G networks. I am extremely proud to continue our work with Orange France into the 5G era, with our Wavence portfolio providing a solid foundation for the operator’s 5G services all across the country. We continue to drive important innovations for microwave and millimeter wave wireless transport solutions that support our customers with coverage and capacity where it is needed.” Christian Gacon, CTO Fixed/IP/Optical/Microwave Networks at Orange France, said: “Nokia’s innovative Wavence portfolio and microwave technology will ensure that we can deliver high-capacity services and experiences to our customers over long distances, which is critical as the usage of 5G increases. This technology will support Orange’s ambition to remain the indisputable best network in France. I look forward to continuing our partnership with Nokia moving forward.”
