Comcast’s mobile network plans gained core support from Nokia, which will provide the nascent wireless network operator with a 5G standalone (SA) core to power its 5G network build. The deal comes months after the cable giant scored a deal with Samsung to provide radio access network (RAN) equipment.

The Nokia 5G SA core networking software includes the vendor’s Packet Core platform, operating software, and consulting services. This will support Comcast’s consumer and enterprise services using both the lightly-licensed Citizen Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum and its 600 MHz spectrum that it acquired as part of a government auction in early 2018.

A 5G SA core, which consists of the user plane, control plane, and shared data layer network functions, allows operators to deliver a more resilient core network and support highly-touted 5G services like network slicing, automation, orchestration, and mobile edge computing.

Nokia as part of the Comcast deal claims it has more than 80 5G SA core customers, with 25 of the world’s 40 largest communication service providers using its core network products.

A Counterpoint Research tracker counted 42 operators that had deployed a 5G SA core, numbers that were in line with a similar tracker from Dell’Oro Group.

Counterpoint Research noted that Ericsson and Nokia lead the market globally, bolstered by ongoing geopolitical challenges that have limited the reach of China-based vendors. The research firm did note that “Asian vendors Samsung and NEC are mainly focused on their respective domestic markets but are expanding their reach to tier-two operators and emerging markets.”

Nokia late last year began offering its 5G SA core through a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model. This is being offered on-demand through a subscription service managed by Nokia, which removes upfront expenses and the need for an operator or enterprise to manage software maintenance and updates. Comcast explained that its Nokia 5G core is not being offered through this SaaS model.

The Nokia deal also continues to boost Comcast’s push into the highly competitive 5G market.

The company last September struck a deal with Samsung to use the vendor ‘s 5G RAN for its mobile network. This includes the use of Samsung’s newly developed 5G Strand Small Cell that is designed to be mounted on Comcast’s existing aerial cable lines. This all-in-one piece of equipment is central to the deployment as it will allow Comcast to mount cellular antennas where it’s already running cable connections for wireless backhaul.

Comcast noted that the Samsung RAN components will plug into the Nokia 5G SA core.

Tom Nagel, SVP of wireless strategy at Comcast, explained in a blog post at that time that the cable provider will limit its initial deployment to its core cable markets.

“We have no plans to build out a full national wireless network, rather, where it makes sense, we plan to selectively deploy our own 5G radios in dense, high-traffic areas of the markets we serve today,” he stated.

Nagel added that Comcast’s current licensed spectrum holdings cover around 80% of the homes with access to its wired cable product and 50% of the U.S. population. “And those are the areas where we’ll focus,” he said.

Comcast has a long-standing wireless roaming agreement with Verizon that allows the cable company to offer its customers nationwide services running on Verizon’s wireless network.