The project will modernise Orange Belgium’s infrastructure to support growing bandwidth demand from machine learning applications, remote working, video streaming, gaming and cloud services, while improving network resiliency and security. By consolidating fixed and mobile transport into one network, Orange Belgium aims to simplify operations and speed up service delivery.

Nokia’s AI-powered WaveSuite automation platform will underpin the network management overhaul, while the deployment marks the first use of Nokia’s high-capacity 1830 PSS platform within an Orange affiliate for core optical transport. The modernised network will carry Orange Belgium’s fixed and mobile traffic from customer-provided equipment through metro access and backbone infrastructure, supporting services from 1G to 400G and beyond.

The rollout will also include end-to-end synchronisation management with Nokia’s existing RAN installed base, a GMPLS control plane for higher resiliency, and thin transponders based on the new 1830 PSS platform.

Philippe Toussaint, chief technology officer at Orange Belgium, said 5G, AI and quantum-safe security are “defining forces in how people, businesses and machines connect,” and described the unified optical network as “a cornerstone” of the operator’s commitment to strengthening Belgium’s digital economy.

Guil Yazdi, VP client executive for Orange at Nokia, said the project reflects a shift away from “linear growth or legacy architectures” as AI becomes the defining workload of the digital economy, and that Nokia is helping Orange Belgium build a resilient, AI-ready connectivity platform to support machine-to-machine and autonomous services.

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