The demonstration highlighted TAWAL’s ability to provide active infrastructure as a service, allowing operators to achieve substantial cost savings while ensuring their networks remain adaptable for future advancements. Nokia’s anyRAN architecture supports this by delivering reliable performance for Open RAN workloads on an open edge-cloud platform, utilizing cloud-native flexibility and open interfaces to meet diverse operational needs.
In Saudi Arabia, the demand for widespread 5G connectivity is growing rapidly, driven by ambitious smart city initiatives. Traditional network deployments often involve redundant infrastructure, increasing costs and delaying service rollouts. TAWAL’s neutral-host model addresses these challenges by enabling multiple service providers to share a single edge-cloud platform. This approach optimizes spectrum usage, reduces energy consumption, and accelerates 5G availability for businesses and communities across the country. Nokia’s anyRAN solution, featuring AirScale radios and cloud-agnostic software, is tailored to maximize these operational efficiencies.
The live showcase at LEAP 2025 featured Nokia 5G AirScale Indoor Radios integrated with Dell PowerEdge XR8000 servers, running virtualized CU/DU software within Nokia’s anyRAN framework. This open, cloud-native platform supports multi-operator RAN sharing and accommodates third-party RAN software, offering TAWAL flexibility in vendor selection while maintaining high performance. Its compact design and low power consumption make it well-suited for smart-city edge nodes and enterprise environments.
Abdulrahman Al Moaiqel, Chief Commercial Officer at TAWAL, stated: “Neutral hosts must add value beyond steel and concrete. By partnering with Nokia, we can offer Saudi operators an on-demand, pay-as-you-grow 5G platform that cuts their TCO and accelerates digital transformation for the Kingdom’s giga projects.”
Mikko Lavanti, Senior Vice President, Middle East and Africa at Nokia, remarked: “Moving from a tower company model to a fully-fledged network company demands technology that combines openness with proven performance. Our anyRAN approach lets TAWAL mix and match vendors at the cloud layer while still guaranteeing the ultrareliable, low-latency experience operators and end users expect.”
This collaboration marks a significant step toward cost-effective, scalable, and sustainable 5G deployment, supporting Saudi Arabia’s vision for advanced digital infrastructure.
