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Nokia is set to become a major beneficiary of Huawei being blocked from the UK’s 5G networks.
The Finnish telecoms firm has struck a deal to become the largest equipment provider to BT.
Nokia will now provide additional base stations and antennas to let EE customers’ devices make calls and transmit data via the UK firm’s 5G “radio access network”.
The deal will also see Nokia replace Huawei in BT’s 2G and 4G networks.
EE’s network already uses Nokia to provide its 3G service.
The UK government announced in July that all the UK’s mobile providers were being banned from buying new Huawei 5G equipment after 31 December, and must also remove all the Chinese firm’s 5G kit from their networks by 2027.
The decision, which was taken on national security grounds, effectively ended a strong relationship between BT and Huawei that dated back to 2005.
Earlier this year, BT said Nokia’s equipment was used at about a third of its 4G sites, which were being upgraded to 5G, while Huawei’s kit was used at the remaining ones.
At present, Nokia’s kit provides coverage to EE customers across parts of London, the Midlands and various rural locations.
The latest deal will extend BT’s use of its telecoms infrastructure products to further cities and towns including Aberdeen, Cambridge, Dundee, Exeter, Southampton and York.
