Play Selects Nokia And Huawei For Fiber Deployment

Play, one of Poland's leading telecommunications companies, has reportedly chosen Nokia and Huawei as equipment partners for its GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) fibre network rollout. This move will help Play expand its network capacity and coverage across Poland. The contracts between Play and the two equipment providers were reportedly agreed upon some time ago, but were not publicly announced until recently.
The rollout of the GPON fibre network comes after Play's acquisition of cableco UPC Poland in April 2022. The acquisition allowed Play to expand its network infrastructure and increase its customer base. Play went on to split its infrastructure into a standalone company called Polish Open Fibre (Polski Swiatlowod Otwarty [PSO]), and sold a 50% stake in the company to InfraVia Capital Partners.
Thanks to a PLN5.8 billion (USD1.4 billion) loan agreed with a consortium of banks in early 2023, Play and its partners aim to add an additional two million homes to their existing network footprint of over 3.7 million homes. The loan will help fund the expansion of the GPON fibre network, enabling Play to provide faster and more reliable internet services to more homes across Poland.
The choice of Nokia and Huawei as equipment partners for the GPON fibre network rollout is significant, as both companies are leading providers of telecommunications equipment worldwide. Nokia has a strong track record in providing fibre network solutions, while Huawei is known for its expertise in 5G and wireless network technologies. The partnership with these two companies will help Play to leverage the latest technologies and expand its network capacity and coverage, providing better services to its customers.