Orange officially named Nokia and Ericsson as its vendors for 5G in mainland France. The companies will provide a package of products and services that will enable the deployment of 5G across the country. The agreement includes antennas and associated professional services. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The decision follows pressure from the U.S. government and contentious debate over the security of the critical infrastructure. Orange had taken the position that vendors should not be excluded without due cause. The EU then issued a set of 5G network security recommendations that stopped short of banning any vendors.
In a press statement, Orange said its decision follows a year-long RFP process and extensive testing. Both Ericsson and Nokia “demonstrated the quality of their products, their support and commitment to a high-quality customer experience on the mobile network for many years.”
The partnership with Nokia is focused on the West and South-East regions of France, zones where Nokia already supplies 2G/3G/4G on the mobile network (RAN). Nokia will initially support Orange’s 5G commercial launch by enabling the rollout of its state-of-the-art SRAN network to 5G through software upgrades, streamlining the initial steps to build 5G. It will also introduce 5G New Radio (5G NR)-based AirScale hardware, and software for the new 5G frequency bands.
Ericsson confirmed that it was selected by Orange France to deploy 5G radio access network (RAN) in three major French regions, including the capital Paris, and modernize its existing 2G/3G/4G radio access network. Ericsson 5G RAN products and solutions from the Ericsson Radio System portfolio will be deployed in the Orange network in the North-East, South-West and Ile de France/Paris regions of France. The five-year deal will make Ericsson the major RAN provider to Orange France. The partnership also includes maintenance and deployment services. Deployment will begin as soon as possible so that the Orange France 5G network will be ready to launch 5G services when the frequencies are made available during 2020.
Fabienne Dulac, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and CEO of Orange France, stated: “For Orange, the deployment of 5G represents a huge challenge and is one of the main priorities of our Engage 2025 strategic plan. We are delighted to be pursuing our partnerships with both Nokia and Ericsson, two key long-term partners, in order to develop a powerful and innovative 5G network. 5G will enable the development of new use-cases and new services, and will provide an enriched experience for our customers – both in the consumer and business segments. Through these agreements, Orange reaffirms its ambition to being network leader.”
Ericsson notes that it now has 80 commercial 5G agreements and contracts with unique operators, of which 34 are publicly announced 5G deals, including 24 live 5G networks on four continents.
