• Recognition highlights Nokia’s leadership across all aspects of 5G core, with products that help operators modernize their networks for the AI era.

For the second consecutive year, Nokia has been ranked No. 1 for mobile core portfolio competitiveness in Omdia’s “Market Landscape: Core Vendors” report. The 2026 edition named Nokia a leader across all seven competitiveness categories: core portfolio breadth, cloud-native maturity, signaling, automation, core as a service, AI/ML and analytics, and implementations of other network functions.

The recognition reflects Nokia’s continued investment in mobile core technologies that help operators modernize their networks for the AI era. Recent deployments include the world’s first commercial mobile telco service based on 5G Core SaaS; Core SaaS Edge enabling local breakout for roaming subscribers; core network resilience solutions; telecom core modernization programs, and mission-critical network upgrades supporting the IoT, rail and utilities sectors.

“Core networks are becoming the intelligence layer of modern communications, connecting cloud-native operations, AI-driven automation and application innovation,” said Kal De, SVP, Core Networks at Nokia. “This recognition from Omdia highlights the breadth and maturity of our portfolio across every major category operators are using to evaluate connectivity partners who can help them move toward more autonomous, resilient and programmable networks.”

“Nokia continues to distinguish itself as a technology leader in core networks, with advanced capabilities in categories spanning cloud native maturity, automation, AI/ML and analytics, and Core as a Service,” said Roberto Kompany, Principal Analyst, Mobile Infrastructure at Omdia. “These are no longer optional innovations but strategic requirements for telecommunication providers pursuing greater operational efficiency, service agility and monetization opportunities. Nokia’s comprehensive approach demonstrates a deep understanding of both current operator challenges and the future direction of the telecom market.”

Omdia’s 2026 report expanded its assessment to 12 vendors while also updating category weightings to reflect evolving operator priorities, including increased emphasis on AI/ML and analytics capabilities.

Nokia’s core portfolio supports deployment models spanning private, public and hybrid cloud environments and helps operators simplify core operations through automation, AI-driven analytics, resilient architectures and network exposure capabilities. The company’s approach enables telecom providers and mission-critical enterprises to accelerate service innovation while reducing operational complexity and improving network agility.