The future of high-performance networking has arrived. On June 11, 2025, the Ultra Ethernet Consortium reached a significant milestone with the official release of UEC Specification 1.0—a comprehensive, Ethernet-based communication stack specifically designed for AI and HPC workloads. As a proud general member of the UEC, Nokia congratulates the consortium on this transformative achievement that will redefine how we connect and scale AI infrastructure.

This isn't just another technical specification. It represents the power of industry collaboration at its finest, delivering the performance, scalability, and interoperability that modern AI applications demand while maintaining the openness and flexibility that makes innovation possible. The response from across the technology ecosystem has been remarkable, with organizations worldwide recognizing that Ultra Ethernet's emphasis on open standards addresses a critical need—scaling AI infrastructure without vendor lock-in while maximizing return on investment. You can learn more about UEC 1.0 here.

Nokia's Vision and Strategic Partnerships

Since joining the Ultra Ethernet Consortium in November 2023, Nokia has brought decades of experience building networks that connect the world. We're committed to integrating UEC Specification 1.0 enhancements throughout our data center switching portfolio, delivering solutions that are not only high-performing but also cost-effective and truly interoperable.

Innovation thrives through collaboration. The UEC release builds upon groundbreaking technology advancements from partners like Broadcom, whose UEC-ready Tomahawk 6 ASIC delivers an impressive 102.4 Terabits per second. As Jeff Jakab, Vice President of Hardware at Nokia, noted: "With impressive 102.4Tb/s switching capacity and extensive AI networking features, Broadcom's Tomahawk 6 series provide valuable tools supporting Nokia's expanding portfolio of modern data center switches for AI networks."

Market Validation and Real Customer Impact

The timing couldn't be more perfect. Dell'Oro Group projects that Ethernet will surpass InfiniBand in AI back-end networks by 2027, validating the strategic direction we've been pursuing. This shift reflects fundamental advantages: supply chain diversity, cost efficiency, and operational familiarity.

Source: Dell’Oro AI Networks for AI Workloads January 2025 report

Our commitment to Ultra Ethernet innovation is already delivering results with customers like Nscale, a hyperscaler engineered for AI. For their groundbreaking sustainable data center in Stavanger, Norway—powered entirely by renewable energy—Nokia delivered the IP network foundation enabling cutting-edge AI services, including GPUaaS. Nscale, required a reliable, high-performance network to support training and inferencing on large-scale GPU clusters and ranks as one of the Top 500 supercomputers in the world.

‘David Power, CTO of Nscale, captured the impact: "Nokia's data center fabric enables us to scale GPU clusters while maintaining the reliability and performance needed to serve our customers with cutting-edge AI services."

The Connected Future Starts Now

The release of UEC Specification 1.0 marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter. Our mission is clear: deliver open, interoperable networking solutions that eliminate vendor dependencies while providing the performance, scalability, and efficiency required for the AI-driven future. Learn more about Nokia Networking for AI workloads here.

With its emphasis on open standards, multi-vendor interoperability, and purpose-built optimizations for AI workloads, Ultra Ethernet is positioned to become the backbone of next-generation AI data center infrastructure. At Nokia, we're proud to be at the forefront of this transformation, creating the technology that will power human achievement in the age of AI. The future is connected, intelligent, and limitless—and it starts with Ultra Ethernet.

Ready to explore how Ultra Ethernet can transform your AI infrastructure? Connect with Nokia's networking experts to discover the possibilities.