Nokia to Help Bridge Digital Divide in Liberia: Will the Stock Gain?

Nokia Corporation NOK recently inked an agreement with iSAT Africa for an undisclosed amount to enhance broadband connectivity across rural areas in Liberia. The three-year deal spanning more than 200 sites in the West African country aims to bridge the digital divide by providing a reliable, affordable and easily accessible network to underserved rural communities.

How NOK Likely Secured the Deal

Nokia is well-positioned for the ongoing technology cycle, given the strength of its end-to-end portfolio. Its installed base of high-capacity AirScale products, which enables customers to upgrade to 5G quickly, is growing fast. It is driving the transition of global enterprises into smart virtual networks by creating a single network for all services, converging mobile and fixed broadband, IP routing and optical networks with the software and services to manage them. Leveraging state-of-the-art technology, it is transforming the way people and things communicate and connect.

The company aims to create new business and licensing opportunities in the consumer ecosystem. It facilitates customers to move away from an economy-of-scale network operating model to demand-driven operations by offering easy programmability and flexible automation required to support dynamic operations, reduce complexity and improve efficiency. It seeks to expand its business into targeted, high-growth and high-margin vertical markets to address growth opportunities beyond its traditional primary markets.

What This Collaboration Brings on the Table

Nokia's partnership with this integrated communications services provider that specializes in broadcasting & rural connectivity in Africa and the Middle East will seek to drive socio-economic development in the remote areas of Liberia. Per the deal, Nokia will deploy its AirScale radio portfolio along with MantaRay Network Management solutions for effective monitoring and management capabilities to address critical challenges such as limited coverage and the wide digital divide in rural regions.

Will NOK Stock Benefit?

Nokia has emerged as one of the leading players in the development of advanced 5G technology and is at the forefront of extending 5G use cases in various industries. It has laid a strong foundation of innovation through substantial infrastructure investments. This has led to the establishment of an impressive portfolio comprising approximately 20,000 patent families, including more than 6,000 patent families that are deemed crucial to 5G technology.

The collaboration with iSAT Africa is likely to propel the stock on incremental revenue generation and inducement of similar deals from other carriers in the future. The agreement is also expected to strengthen Nokia's position as a leading telecommunications equipment provider in the region.

The stock has gained 16.7% over the past six months compared with the industry's growth of 12.9%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

NOK Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider

Nokia currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Arista Networks, Inc. ANET, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present, is likely to benefit from strong momentum and diversification across its top verticals and product lines. The company has a software-driven, data-centric approach to help customers build their cloud architecture and enhance their cloud experiences. Arista has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 17.2% and delivered an earnings surprise of 15%, on average, in the trailing four quarters.

It holds a leadership position in 100-gigabit Ethernet switching share in port for the high-speed data center segment. Arista is increasingly gaining market traction in 200 and 400-gig high-performance switching products. It is well-positioned for healthy growth in data-driven cloud networking business with proactive platforms and predictive operations.

AudioCodes Ltd. AUDC currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. It delivered an earnings surprise of 10.1%, on average, in the trailing four quarters.

Headquartered in Lod, Israel, AudioCodes offers advanced communications software, products and productivity solutions for the digital workplace. It provides a broad range of innovative products, solutions and services that are used by large multi-national enterprises and leading tier-1 operators around the world.

Airgain, Inc. AIRG currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. It has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 35%.

Headquartered in San Diego, CA, Airgain offers integrated wireless solutions in the form of antenna products. These products are equipped to solve critical connectivity needs in both the design process and the operating environment across the enterprise, automotive and consumer markets. Ideal for original equipment and design manufacturers, vertical markets, chipset vendors, service providers, value-added resellers and software developers worldwide, the customizable antennas from Airgain serve both indoor and outdoor connectivity issues.

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.