Nokia and du activated an autonomous 5G Advanced network slicing capability in the UAE, setting a new operational benchmark for premium, intent-based mobile services. The deployment introduces real-time, self-optimizing intelligence across du’s 5G RAN, allowing the operator to guarantee performance for enterprise, industrial, and consumer applications under varying traffic and radio conditions. The system dynamically enforces slice policies for latency, throughput, and capacity, supporting high-demand use cases such as business-critical operations, large events, gaming, XR, broadcasting, and emerging AI workloads.
The implementation relies on Nokia’s 5G AirScale radios, its MantaRay SON self-organizing suite, and the AI-driven MantaRay AutoPilot, which manages operational rApps within Nokia’s MantaRay SMO platform. Together, these components measure live network performance, interpret customer or enterprise “intent,” and autonomously adjust slice definitions and RAN parameters. For example, the system can guarantee low-latency gaming slices in congested urban areas or allocate deterministic capacity for enterprise customers with mission-critical requirements.
The companies framed the launch as a foundation for monetizing differentiated 5G services and preparing for more advanced 6G architectures built around automation and real-time network intelligence.
• First deployment of autonomous 5G Advanced network slicing
• Nokia platforms used: 5G AirScale, MantaRay SON, MantaRay AutoPilot, MantaRay SMO
• Supports business-critical operations, live events, gaming, XR, AI applications
• Intent-based, ML-driven adjustments of RAN slice policies
• Designed to guarantee premium performance in congested or complex scenarios
“Our partnership with Nokia represents a significant step forward in our mission to deliver exceptional connectivity experiences,” said Saleem Alblooshi, CTO, du. “By leveraging intent-based 5G advanced slicing, we are ensuring premium network performance and guaranteed capacity for our demanding customers while positioning our network for future advancements like 6G.”
🌐 Analysis
This deployment highlights how Middle East operators are accelerating 5G Advanced capabilities, with du joining a growing number of carriers adopting AI-driven automation to differentiate premium services. For Nokia, the announcement reinforces the company’s strategic emphasis on software-centric, autonomous RAN operations following similar innovations showcased with European and Asian operators earlier this year.
