Nokia said the first phase of Claro’s 5G rollout will reach major cities in Argentina.
Finnish telecommunications company Nokia has announced that it has signed a deal with Argentine telecommunications company Claro Argentina to roll out 5G infrastructure across Argentina.
Claro Argentina is owned by Mexican telecommunications group America Movil.
Nokia noted that the new contract covers the first phase of 5G deployment in Argentina, reaching all of the country’s major cities. Nokia stressed that it is the sole supplier and that the deal will increase its market share.
Under the terms of the agreement, Nokia will deploy equipment from its 5G AirScale portfolio featuring its energy-efficient ReefShark System-on-Chip technology, which includes base stations, baseband units and the latest generation massive MIMO radios.
Nokia will also provide planning, deployment, integration and network optimization services.
The agreement makes Claro Argentina the first Nokia customer in Latin America to deploy Nokia’s Interleaved Passive Active Antennas (IPAA+) across all of its sites. Nokia’s IPAA+ supports a wide range of frequencies from 700MHz to 2.6GHz with a modular design and the 3.5GHz 5G band with a compact antenna solution, which the company says will accelerate 5G deployment.
Nokia and Claro Argentina have previously worked together on the rollout of 2G, 3G and 4G networks.
Julio Carlos Porras, CEO of Claro Argentina, said: “Investing in 5G networks with our partner Nokia will further digitalize society by bringing faster connections, increased capacity and seamless connectivity to densely populated areas, supporting both citizens and businesses. This will enable unprecedented levels of innovation and efficiency across sectors, enabling organizations to thrive in today’s fast-changing digital environment.”
“Our 5G portfolio establishes the foundation for digital transformation, opening up exciting new opportunities for people and businesses to experience enhanced mobile connectivity,” said Tommi Uitto, president, Mobile Networks, Nokia.
Earlier this year, rival telecommunications company Telecom Argentina, which operates under the personal brand, announced plans to expand its 5G Standalone (5G SA) network in certain areas targeting high-income customers during 2024.
The company also announced that it will begin deploying 5G in the cities of Córdoba and Rosario later this year.
Telecom Argentina claims to be the first operator in the country to deploy 5G Standalone technology. Telecom Argentina’s first 5G Standalone (5G SA) antennas were deployed last year, concentrated in large urban areas of the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA).
In October 2023, Argentine telecommunications operators Claro, Movistar and Personal secured frequencies for the provision of 5G services in a tender run by the government.
According to a report by telecommunications association GSMA, the number of 5G subscribers in Argentina is expected to reach 34.7 million by 2030, up from 5.7 million in 2025.
According to the GSMA report, 5G penetration in Argentina is expected to reach 9% by 2025 and grow to 48% by 2030.
