Call quality on AT&T is about to change… and you can "blame" it on Nokia

AT&T is focused on providing enhanced 5G connectivity for the upcoming Super Bowl show in New Orleans (it has even upgraded the stadium's network with advanced infrastructure), but the telco is simultaneously doing business with… Nokia.

Last time we spoke of Nokia – except for the HMD phones that have been popping out every now and then – was in late summer of 2024. Back then, there was this wild rumor that Samsung was about to acquire Nokia's mobile networks business.

Now, it's not about rumors: AT&T and Nokia have entered into a multi-year agreement to enhance AT&T's voice services and 5G network automation in the US. If things go according to plan, this could mean that the call quality is about to get much better.

This follows a significant shift in AT&T's network strategy after it awarded a $14 billion contract to Ericsson in 2023 to handle the majority of its wireless traffic by 2026.

Despite that setback, Nokia secured a five-year deal last September to develop AT&T's fiber network and has now added another agreement focused on cloud-based voice core applications and network automation.

Nokia emphasized that the upgrade will introduce new voice services, integrating AI and machine learning to optimize network performance. While financial details remain undisclosed, AT&T highlighted the importance of this collaboration in improving network efficiency and expanding service capabilities.

The agreement arrives as Nokia experiences strong demand for telecom equipment, particularly from North America and India.

The company recently reported better-than-expected financial results and remains optimistic about its growth prospects. As part of its push into AI-driven infrastructure, Nokia also acquired Infinera in a $2.3 billion deal, aiming to capitalize on the growing investment in data centers, including the massive Stargate project backed by OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle.