Chunghwa Telecom, Nokia sign pact on next-gen network development

中華電信與諾基亞簽署合作協議，推進次世代網路發展

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Chunghwa Telecom and Nokia on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding to research and validate artificial intelligence radio access network (AI-RAN) technologies, signaling a push toward advanced 5G and pre-6G networks, according to a Chunghwa Telecom press release.

Chunghwa Telecom President Lin Rong-shy (林榮賜) and Nokia Vice President of Marketing Strategy Steph Delvoye witnessed the signing. Both firms will research and develop faster future mobile networks.

AI-RAN integrates artificial intelligence with signal deployment stations. It uses graphics processing units to accelerate data processing instead of traditional hardware, providing quicker internet access.

Lin said the partnership will focus on AI-RAN, networks, and edge inference. He added that operational efficiency and deployment are paramount.

Edge inference involves running AI models on local devices such as smartphones or local servers instead of connecting to a cloud network. It is much faster, and only owners have access to sensitive data.

Chunghwa Telecom Network Technology Group President Chia Chung-yung (賈仲雍) said future networks must be smarter, automated, and programmable. Chia added that the collaboration aims to deepen understanding of AI-RAN by testing different AI models under different scenarios to identify the best deployment of 5G-Advanced and 6G networks and provide the best experience.

Nokia Taiwan General Manager Magic Hsu (許佳樹) called AI-RAN a milestone in mobile network development and a key technology bridging 5G with 6G. He said Nokia will contribute its global wireless network expertise, AI-RAN, network automation, and AI infrastructure, while Chunghwa will contribute operational and service expertise.

Chunghwa Telecom said it will continue to invest in telecommunications technology to strengthen its expertise in digital infrastructure. The service provider said it remains committed to providing its customers with quality service.