French telecommunications company Orange France — formerly France Telecom — announced it has selected Ericsson to help deploy its 5G radio access network (RAN) in three major French regions, including Paris.

“For Orange, the deployment of 5G represents a huge challenge and is one of the main priorities of our Engage 2025 strategic plan,” said Fabienne Dulac, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of and CEO of Orange France. “We are delighted to be pursuing our partnership with Ericsson, a key long-term partner, 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.”

Ericsson’s 5G RAN products and solutions will be deployed in the North-East, South-West and Ile de France/Paris regions of France on the Orange network in a five-year deal that will also include maintenance and deployment services.

“In addition to incredible new mobile broadband experiences for mobile customers, 5G is set to transform business, industry and society across France,” said Arun Bansal, President Europe and Latin America, Ericsson. “We will work in close partnership with Orange France to make this a reality and bring the benefits of 5G to its customers. Today’s milestone in France is also significant to Ericsson’s engagement with Orange, a major worldwide partner.”

The deployment of the 5G network is expected to commence as soon as possible, with the aim being that the Orange France 5G network will be ready to launch later this year.

Ericsson now has 80 commercial 5G agreements and contracts with operators around the world on four continents. Its major competitor in the 5G spectrum market, Huawei, has also recently been making it’s own partnership announcements in what is becoming a pivotal period for the future of mobile connectivity.