Nokia unveils new fibre-based LAN offering to boost business connectivity

May 08, 2025 09:47 AM

Nokia has launched a new Local Area Network (LAN) solution, claiming to reduce ownership costs for businesses looking to modernise their connectivity by up to 50%.

The Aurelis Optical LAN can support speeds ranging from one gigabit per second (Gb/s) up to 25Gb/s, with Nokia suggesting it holds upgrade potential to reach 50Gb/s and 100Gb/s.

The firm claims its new fibre-based service requires up to 70% less cabling and 40% less power compared to traditional copper-based LAN networks, and boasts a lifespan of more than half a century.

“Aurelis Optical LAN delivers the simplicity, reliability, and scalability enterprises need to succeed in a digital-first world,” said Geert Heyninck, general manager of broadband networks at Nokia. “Optical LAN gives enterprises a future-proof foundation for connectivity, at a dramatically lower total cost.”

Nokia’s decision to switch out copper for fibre for its LAN offerings comes amid a wider industry shift away from the metal.

Beyond the fact that fibre can carry far more data than copper, the material isn’t susceptible to electromagnetic interference, making it ideal for industrial environments or areas with high electrical activity.

However, telcos and digital infrastructure operators are increasingly holding onto their copper-based systems, with recent research from TXO suggesting more than a quarter of surveyed firms admitted that their copper networks would last until 2030 or beyond.

Nokia wants to help operators make the switch to fibre, with its new Aurelis Optical LAN offering designed to bring the benefits of the material to in-building and campus environments.

The integration of open APIs allows operators to integrate the solution with existing enterprise environments while also streamlining operations.

FairNetz, the German utility company, counts among the earlier adopters, deploying the Optical LAN solution across its campus to boost connectivity across multiple buildings.

“[Optical LAN] gives us a reliable, high-performance backbone for Wi-Fi, printers, and all our office endpoints, while significantly lowering power and cabling needs,” said Daniel Schach, head of IT infrastructure at FairNetz. “The fibre-based infrastructure supports our long-term vision for a more efficient, future-ready network.”