Nokia is claiming to be breaking new ground with Nordic operator Telia and the Finnish Defence Forces to conduct a “seamless” 5G standalone slice handover between multiple countries in a live network.
Conducted as part of a Nordic exercise with the Finnish Defense Forces in Finland in March 2025, it is said to represent a significant milestone in advancing critical 5G capabilities for defence and other mission-critical industries.
The trial was achieved through Nokia’s 5G core software as a service (SaaS) and AirScale 5G base stations, powered by ReefShark system-on-chip technology, connected to Telia’s commercial network. Additionally, Nokia’s intelligent network management system, MantaRay NM, provided a consolidated network view, with the aim of optimising monitoring and management.
As a result, the test is said to have demonstrated a continuous and secure data connection over a 5G standalone slice while moving across three separate networks in three different countries. This capability is regarded as crucial for modern defence forces, as military personnel increasingly operate in coalitions beyond their national territories while requiring uninterrupted access to mission-critical applications and services.
“This trial marks a significant milestone in showcasing the dual-use possibilities of 5G for defence while also enhancing communication capabilities within the Nato domain,” said Jarmo Vähätiitto, major general of the Finnish Defence Command, Chief of C5. “We are delighted to have partnered with Nokia and Telia on this project and are eager to explore further opportunities for integrating 5G into our operations.
Jari Collin, chief technology officer at Telia Finland, said: “5G and network slicing enable secure, mission-critical communications. In collaboration with the Finnish Defence Forces and Nokia, we are pioneering in using commercial technology for critical defence communications. This trial meets the Defence Forces’ needs and proves that commercial 5G networks can be utilised also in this domain.”
Tommi Uitto, president of mobile networks at Nokia, added: “Seamless 5G slice continuity over country borders is a breakthrough for defence operations, enabling secure and reliable communications for collaborative missions that extend beyond national territories. Our trial with Telia and the Finnish Defense Forces reflects our commitment to delivering robust 5G solutions for defence customers, helping them achieve mission-critical objectives.”
Nokia’s 2024 5G edge cloud network slicing trial was undertaken in partnership with A1 Austria (A1) and Microsoft. The trial utilised Nokia’s 5G edge slicing technology, integrated with Microsoft Azure managed edge compute on A1’s live commercial network in Vienna, Austria.
Azure supports enterprise private and public applications at the operator and enterprise edge, and managed edge compute was deployed at A1’s datacentre in Vienna with connectivity to the Azure region in Austria.
In December 2024, noting the establishment of hybrid working meaning its users’ in-home and on-the-move connectivity for professional applications must meet low-latency and high-speed expectations, leading Middle East telco e& trialled a mobile service – based on Nokia Altiplano, Corteca and network service provider domain control technology – to create a dedicated end-to-end network slice capable of meeting these speed and latency demands.
