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Nokia Oyj has signed a multi year 5G RAN deal with Virgin Media O2 to modernize and expand the UK operator’s 5G network using its AirScale portfolio.
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The company has also expanded its AI collaboration with Blaize Holdings to co develop hybrid AI infrastructure solutions.
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Both initiatives were highlighted at GITEX Asia 2026, underscoring Nokia's focus on 5G and AI driven networking for operators and enterprises.
For investors tracking HLSE:NOKIA, these announcements arrive with the share price at €8.056 and recent momentum that includes a 45.8% return year to date and 91.6% over the past year. The new 5G RAN agreement with Virgin Media O2 presents Nokia as a key technology provider in a major European market, while the Blaize partnership adds depth to its AI networking activity.
The combination of a large UK 5G deployment and a deeper push into AI centric infrastructure could influence how you think about Nokia's role across both telecom operators and data center customers. These moves may be useful to watch if you are assessing how HLSE:NOKIA has performed over the past 3 years and 5 years, with share price changes of 98.4% and 159.0% respectively.
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1 thing going right for Nokia Oyj that this headline doesn't cover.
Nokia’s multi year 5G RAN contract with Virgin Media O2 and the expanded AI work with Blaize point in the same direction: a push to be more important in both carrier networks and AI heavy data center environments. The Virgin Media O2 deal keeps Nokia firmly embedded in a large UK operator’s radio network, using its AirScale hardware and software to support higher capacity, energy efficiency, and 5G Advanced features. That can help Nokia defend share against Ericsson and Huawei in a core European market. The Blaize collaboration, centered on a reference architecture for hybrid AI across edge and data center settings, speaks to Nokia’s ambition to serve hyperscalers and enterprises that need low latency, power efficient infrastructure. Taken together, these contracts sit alongside analyst commentary that recent share price strength has been driven by interest in AI and cloud, even as some point to weaker fundamentals and pressure from the Infinera acquisition. For you as an investor, the key question is whether these partnerships translate into durable orders and better economics, rather than just adding to the AI story around the stock.
How This Fits Into The Nokia Oyj Narrative
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The Virgin Media O2 contract and Blaize AI work tie directly into the narrative’s view that demand from cloud data centers, fiber, and advanced 5G networks can expand Nokia’s addressable market in Fixed, Mobile, and Optical Networks.
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At the same time, the focus on RAN and AI infrastructure does not remove the risks highlighted in the narrative around competitive pressure, underpenetration with hyperscalers, and execution challenges in Mobile Networks.
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The Singapore based Network Innovation Lab and GITEX Asia 2026 exposure add an Asia Pacific angle to Nokia’s AI story that may not be fully reflected in the narrative’s emphasis on Europe and the US infrastructure cycle.
Knowing what a company is worth starts with understanding its story. Check out one of the top narratives in the Simply Wall St Community for Nokia Oyj to help decide what it's worth to you.
The Risks and Rewards Investors Should Consider
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⚠️ Analysts have highlighted that Nokia’s Mobile Networks segment faces flat or declining trends and intense competition, so even a large 5G win with Virgin Media O2 does not remove the risk of weaker demand or pricing pressure elsewhere.
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⚠️ Nokia remains a challenger with hyperscalers and some AI optical domains, so the Blaize collaboration may still leave it exposed if larger rivals such as Ericsson, Huawei, or Juniper secure a bigger share of cloud and AI network spending.
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🎁 The multi year Virgin Media O2 contract reinforces Nokia’s position as a primary RAN supplier in the UK, which can support recurring hardware, software, and services revenue tied to modernization and 5G Advanced features.
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🎁 The AI reference architecture with Blaize, plus the Singapore Network Innovation Lab, opens up more opportunities in edge and data center AI deployments where low latency and power efficiency are critical, an area analysts see as an important earnings driver.
What To Watch Going Forward
From here, you may want to watch how quickly Virgin Media O2’s 5G rollout using Nokia’s AirScale portfolio progresses, and whether Nokia reports any contract specific milestones in orders or margins. On the AI side, monitor announcements from the Blaize partnership and the Network Innovation Lab to see if the reference architecture starts to produce commercial wins with enterprises, governments, or cloud providers. It is also worth keeping an eye on how these deals sit alongside the Infinera integration, cost cutting efforts, and any updates on analysts’ earnings expectations, given the tension between recent share price momentum and earlier concerns about fundamentals.
To ensure you're always in the loop on how the latest news impacts the investment narrative for Nokia Oyj, head to the community page for Nokia Oyj to never miss an update on the top community narratives.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice.It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Companies discussed in this article include NOKIA.HE .
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