Passive antenna to boost 5G Internet rollout in southern PHL

Nokia is deploying modular Interleaved Passive Active Antenna, or IPAA+, for Globe Telecom Inc., across the southern islands of the Philippines to accelerate 5G deployment in the region.

Nokia's advanced IPAA+ has a light, modular design and supports all 5G frequency bands in a single compact antenna, including the 2.6 GHz spectrum band. Nokia's IPAA+ inherently can support other bands, which means investments are protected.

Joel Agustin, SVP and head of Network Planning and Engineering at Globe Telecom Inc., commented,  "We are thrilled that Nokia's state-of-the-art products will be deployed in the Philippines. Our enduring pain points in site acquisition and TCO efficiency are being addressed by the features and design of the IPAA+. Simplifying the rollout of 4G and 5G services will greatly improve our customer experience, especially in the southern region of the Philippines."

The antenna deployment will enable Globe Telecom to accelerate and simplify 4G/5G rollouts while also delivering a higher level of network efficiency and performance and a faster return on investment.

Service providers face the challenge of finding additional space on towers and rooftops to add 5G antennas. Nokia's IPAA+ accelerates the deployment of 5G by addressing this physical issue. Nokia's new IPAA+ is the size and weight of a standard multiband antenna and makes it easier and faster for service providers to deploy their 5G networks through a simple antenna swap. Combining the 4G passive and 5G active antennas into a compact solution can also help lower site rental costs and acquire sites faster.

Nokia and Globe's engineering team also successfully trialed a Globe Telecom-specific variant of the IPAA+ in the field. The field test was carried out in Tantangan, South Cotabato, on the island of Mindanao, making Globe Telecom the first operator in the world to test the 2.6 GHz IPAA+ variant successfully.

Jeciel Nuyda, president at Nokia Shanghai Bell Philippines, added, "We are delighted to partner with Globe Telecom on this deal to see our state-of-the-art IPAA+ products being deployed in the Philippines. These products are lighter, more modular, and cover all sub-6GHz 5G frequency bands. We look forward to collaborating closely with Globe on this important deployment."