Nokia partnered with Foxconn to make 5G devices in northern Vietnam, which will meet domestic and overseas demands, as manufacturers expand their manufacturing portfolio in the Southeast Asian country.
Vietnam Investment Review and VNExpress reported that Foxconn will start manufacturing Nokia's 5G AirScale equipment, including the latest AirScale Massive MIMO radio products, under a new partnership. Production is set to begin in July, with plans to be ramped up in September 2024. The products will be sold in both domestic and international markets.
Ruben Flores, general director of Nokia Vietnam, said that the partnership with Foxconn will meet customer demand, enhance cost efficiency, and highlight Nokia's commitment to optimizing its manufacturing, distribution, and supplier networks in the region.
Vietnam Investment Review, citing a Foxconn representative, said that the partnership highlighted Vietnam's role as a favored manufacturing destination, noting Foxconn's 17-year presence in the country.
AirScale equipment is designed to offer extended 5G coverage with high efficiency. Local manufacturing will allow Vietnamese service providers to accelerate their 5G rollouts.
Vietnam just began its 5G auction in 2024, with Viettel and Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) winning the first successful auctions for 5G spectrum licenses. The final bidder is expected to be determined by the end of June.
Winning bidders are required to deploy 5G services within 12 months of receiving their licenses and build more than 3,000 base stations within two years.
During a visit to Vietnam in March, Nokia CEO Pekka Lundmark expressed Nokia's desire to play a more significant role in Vietnam's digital transformation and to support the government's policy of local manufacturing.
Meanwhile, Foxconn spokesperson James Wu said in May that the company would prioritize expansion in China, India, Mexico, and Vietnam, with Vietnam slated to be its computing products hub.
