5G networks are coming along quite nicely for most players in the space. Spectrum is still floating around, either owned by the FCC or unlicensed, but most everybody has what they need to at least conduct testing in pilot markets. While Verizon may have been the first to demo their outstanding 5G capabilities, other wireless carriers are scheduling testing for dates in the very near future. Not everybody who wants a piece of the 5G pie is a carrier, however; Nokia had announced intent to get in on the action and their application to the FCC has made it official.
Nokia’s 5G demonstration is set to happen from the 1st of July until the 25th at C Spire’s headquarters in Mississippi. C Spire was not listed by name on the application, but the document clearly lists the street address for their headquarters. Since the carrier is a Nokia customer and offers some of Nokia’s wireless hotspot and modem devices, it only makes sense that Nokia would want to demo their equipment to show their customers that they are ready for 5G whenever the carrier is ready to roll it out. The test will use spectrum in the 68-76 GHz range and have ample time for setup, testing, and teardown before it’s all said and done. A spokesman for C Spire did confirm that they’re the ones that Nokia is conducting the test for but said that there was nothing else to report besides what’s on the application at the moment.
C Spire isn’t the only carrier that Nokia is partnering up with as the nationwide 5G rollout begins to take place. FCC license applications indicate that they’ll likely be a part of Sprint’s upcoming 5G testing at the Copa games, with authorization to test at Levi Stadium, where the recent Super Bowl took place, from May 30 to June 18. Nokia also took part in 5G testing at MWC in partnership with Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo. Nokia doesn’t have deals with everybody to help with 5G equipment, of course; Verizon and T-Mobile seem largely content to go their own way into the 5G revolution. Even with some players choosing to stray from them, one would be quite remiss to say that Nokia isn’t playing a big part in the nascent worldwide rollout of 5G networking.