GlobalConnect to deploy energy efficient next gen fiber technology with Nokia

The Nordic companies have agreed to a partnership to deploy Nokia’s next generation fiber technology to boost GlobalConnect’s rapid fiber expansion in the region. The rollout has started, with Nokia supplying the Finnish fiber rollout, in which GlobalConnect is investing 500 million Euros for the coming years. In addition to increased speed, the technology will lower the energy consumption of managing the fiber network by 6 to 15 folds once the targeted number of houses connected is reached.  

“We are excited to partner up with Nokia to deploy state-of-the-art, energy efficient next generation, fiber technology to Finland. This rollout will significantly enhance our network while also supporting the continued digitalization of Finnish households, businesses, and municipalities. It is also a testament to GlobalConnect’s commitment to offering high-quality services on the most future-proof network in the Nordics”, says Uffe Tomasson, CTO GlobalConnect. 

The technology called XGS-PON offers low power consumption and is a very energy efficient alternative to the older Point-to-Point (P2P) technology which is widely used in the Nordics today. With the new technology in place, GlobalConnect will now offer its customers fiber with speeds up to 10Gb/s. In addition to the network deployment in Finland, GlobalConnect is currently testing the technology in Sweden and plan its first deployment in Q1 2025.

GlobalConnect will also continue to prepare its network for future upgrades to offer higher speeds, such as 25Gb/s, 50Gb/s and 100Gb/s.

“The roll-out of fiber is important to the future of Europe, and Finland, providing the scale and capacity essential to consumers and businesses alike for years to come.  Fiber is the greenest way to deliver high-speed connections and can be easily upgraded, ensuring customers are ready for the future of broadband, now. With GlobalConnect, we’ll be able to deploy a fiber network that will help drive productivity, grow economies and enable social inclusion for all parts of society,” said Rafael De Fermin, Senior Vice President of Network Infrastructure Europe at Nokia. 

The newly signed Nordic partnership with Nokia includes Finland, Norway and Sweden. Since 2020, GlobalConnect and Nokia have been collaborating in Denmark.