Nokia struck an agreement with Claro’s Argentinian business to deploy 5G infrastructure in the country, with the pact covering the first phase of implementation across the nation’s largest cities.

In a press release Nokia stated it will be the sole supplier of 5G networks and services, providing the necessary kit from its AirScale product line, including base stations, baseband units and massive MIMO radios.

The partners expect the availability of 5G to stir a “digital revolution” in Argentina, highlighting the network’s benefits in a number of industry verticals including manufacturing and oil and gas.

Claro Argentina’s CEO Julio Carlos Porras said 5G deployment will allow high-speed connectivity “to densely populated areas supporting citizens and enterprises alike”, and that it will “enable unprecedented levels of innovation and efficiency across various sectors”.

For the project, the pair explained they will also employ Nokia’s Interleaved Passive Active Antenna across Claro’s entire footprint.

The technology is a compact solution which Nokia claims eliminates the need for finding an additional space to implement 5G antennas, supporting a wide range of frequencies.

The agreement builds on an existing partnership between the companies, with Nokia supporting Claro with the deployment of previous networks.

“Claro Argentina has big plans for transforming Argentinian society through the deployment of 5G networks, and we are proud to support it as its strategic partner”, Tommi Uitto, president of mobile networks at Nokia, commented.

Claro, owned by Mexico’s America Movil, is one of Argentina’s largest operators alongside Movistar and Telecom Argentina’s Personal.