T-Mobile, Nokia, and Nvidia complete claimed first AI-RAN voice call

T-Mobile, Nokia, and Nvidia complete claimed first AI-RAN voice call

T-Mobile, Nvidia, and Nokia have completed what they describe as the world's first voice call using an artificial intelligence radio access network, or AI-RAN.

The call took place at a commercial cell site in Bellevue, Washington, where T-Mobile is headquartered. It used T-Mobile's live production network, Nokia Massive MIMO radio, Nokia 5G anyRAN software, and server infrastructure based on the Nvidia Aerial RAN Computer platform. Nokia said the site was connected to a commercial 5G core and commercial user equipment.

The demonstration follows comments from T-Mobile CTO John Saw at Mobile World Congress. Saw said the operator hoped to have trial units available during the year, as Nokia outlined its AI-RAN plans with support from Nvidia and several carriers, including T-Mobile.

According to Nokia, completing a voice call over a live network is significant because it moves AI-RAN beyond controlled laboratory environments. The trial used real spectrum and commercial network infrastructure.

Further AI-RAN trials

The next phase of field testing will examine additional AI-for-RAN algorithms and AI workloads running alongside radio access network functions on a shared accelerated computing platform.

Nokia views AI-RAN as part of the RAN's transition toward a more software-defined and AI-native platform ahead of the 6G era. Pallavi Mahajan, Nokia's chief technology and AI officer, said the company's goal is to create a common foundation for future AI-enabled services and the evolution toward 6G. She also said Nokia is pursuing a potential doubling of spectral efficiency, which would increase capacity using the same spectrum.

Nokia's plans to integrate AI into the RAN have contributed to its closer relationship with Nvidia. The companies first agreed to develop AI-ready RAN solutions in 2024, before Nvidia became an investor in Nokia.

Mobile operators have also been evaluating AI-RAN. T-Mobile announced an AI-RAN Innovation Center in Bellevue in September 2024. Earlier this year, T-Mobile, Nvidia, and Nokia said they were working with other partners to deliver physical AI applications through distributed edge AI networks.

Mahajan said the next field trials will examine additional spectrum bands and the use of AI inference workloads alongside RAN functions. The trials are intended to assess how AI-RAN performs in real-world network environments and whether it can eventually operate at scale.

Nokia's first commercial AI-RAN products are not expected to go live until next year.

T-Mobile is one of several carriers working with Nokia and Nvidia on AI-RAN. Other participating operators include Indosat, SoftBank Corp, BT, Elisa, Vodafone Group, Orange Group, A1 Group, Chunghwa Telecom, du, e&, Mobily, stc, TPG Telecom, and Zain Saudi.