Spark, New Zealand’s second largest mobile player, selected Nokia to upgrade its core and backhaul infrastructure to prepare for the adoption of ultra-broadband, IoT and 5G services.

The operator announced a three-year strategic partnership with Nokia covering the deployment of IP and optics equipment, as well as software. Nokia said its IP/MPLS gear addresses key network challenges covering traffic growth and major architectural changes on the path to 5G.

Rajesh Singh, Spark’s GM of partnering, procurement and vendor management, said the operator experienced a tenfold increase in network traffic after introducing its broadband over wireless service, which is primarily based on Nokia’s IP/MPLS network.

Spark plans to expand the capacity of its transport network over the next two years to prepare for 5G.

Singh said the operator is committed to ensuring New Zealand is one of the first countries to be ready to adopt 5G, adding future upgrades to 5G will help enable the government’s goal of improving broadband services in rural areas.

The operator has 2.4 million mobile customers, giving it a 38 per cent market share. Nearly half of its mobile subscribers are on 4G plans.