Nokia said the 5G deployment in India drove growth for its mobile network business.
 
                Photo Credit: Nokia
Nokia's net sales fell by 42 percent in North America alone while soaring by 333 percent in India
 
            
            Finnish telecommunications equipment maker Nokia reported a sharp fall in second-quarter profits on Thursday, dragged down by a drop in investment by North American mobile phone operators.
The company, which is competing with Swedish rival Ericsson and China's Huawei in the global rollout of 5G equipment, said the deployment in India drove growth for its mobile network business.
But net sales fell in North America as clients continue to review their spending and reduce their inventory levels.
Nokia said its net profit fell by 37 percent to EUR 289 million (roughly Rs. 2,653 crore) in the second quarter compared to the same period last year — well below the two billion euros forecast in a Bloomberg survey of analysts.
Net sales reached EUR 5.7 billion (roughly Rs. 52,340.), down three percent, though they were flat on a constant currency basis.
Net sales fell by 42 percent in North America alone while soaring by 333 percent in India. Macroeconomic "uncertainty" weighed on sales of network infrastructure.
"Considering the significant decline in major North American operators' investments, our operating margin has proved resilient," chief executive Pekka Lundmark said in an earnings statement.
Nokia was able to deliver an operating margin of 11 percent "as a result of prudent management of our costs.
Last week, Nokia issued a statement lowering its outlook for the year, warning that high inflation and rising interest rates were increasingly affecting customer spending plans, notably in North America.
Its rival Ericsson reported a rare net quarterly loss as mobile phone operators scale back investment in 5G networks.
"Earlier in the year I highlighted that we were starting to see signs of macroeconomic challenges along with inventory digestion impacting customer spending and this has intensified through the second quarter," Lundmark said.
Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.
 SpaceX Revises Artemis III Moon Mission with Simplified Starship Design
                            
                            
                                SpaceX Revises Artemis III Moon Mission with Simplified Starship Design
                            
                        
                     Rare ‘Second-Generation’ Black Holes Detected, Proving Einstein Right Again
                            
                            
                                Rare ‘Second-Generation’ Black Holes Detected, Proving Einstein Right Again
                            
                        
                     Starlink Hiring for Payments, Tax and Accounting Roles in Bengaluru as Firm Prepares for Launch in India
                            
                            
                                Starlink Hiring for Payments, Tax and Accounting Roles in Bengaluru as Firm Prepares for Launch in India
                            
                        
                     Google's 'Min Mode' for Always-on Display Mode Spotted in Development on Android 17: Report
                            
                            
                                Google's 'Min Mode' for Always-on Display Mode Spotted in Development on Android 17: Report