Ericsson will set up a 5G SA core network for Bouygues Telecom

Ericsson says new 5G SA network will cover both Bouygues Telecom’s core and RAN networks

French telecommunications service provider Bouygues Telecom has chosen Ericsson to establish an end-to-end 5G standalone (5G SA) connection, according to a subsequent release.

As part of the deal, the Swedish vendor will provide the carrier with a 5G SA core network. When fully operational, the end-to-end 5G SA network, which will cover both Bouygues Telecom’s core and RAN networks, across Bouygues Telecom’s entire customer base, will facilitate use from individual customer to enterprise and industrial customers and other uses. . Where secure high-end public, hybrid or dedicated 5G networks are needed, Ericsson says.

Bouygues Telecom’s 5G SA will also use network slicing to help with connectivity in the Industry 4.0 sector. Separate 5G will also focus on areas involving artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and automation. Sectors that could benefit from the Ericsson-Bouygues telecom strategic partnership include industry, logistics, smart transportation, events and healthcare.

The Swedish vendor says the services are expected to be available in early 2023 as a result of the strategic partnership of end-to-end 5G networks.

Benoit Torloting, CEO of Bouygues Telecom, said: This 5G standalone core network will enable us to offer the best technology to our consumers and enterprise customers from 2023 onwards. Bouygues Telecom is proud to support their digital transformation with the quality and security of their network. “

“This agreement with Bouygues Telecom has reached a new milestone in France to accelerate digital transformation and take full advantage of 5G technology for both customers and enterprises with 5G standalone mode,” said Frank Buetard, head of Ericsson France.

“Ericsson’s solution for dedicated private networks will enable significant advantages, including local packet gateways, hybrid mobile networks and mobile virtual networks with slicing, dedicated service quality and low latency for critical and secure business applications.”

Bouygues Telecom previously said it would launch its 5G network through a gradual process. In the first phase, the capacity to maintain good service quality will increase in very dense areas where data costs are very high.

In the second phase, 5G will offer new services for B2C and especially B2B customers, Telco said. To roll-out its 5G network, Bouygues Telecom has decided to simultaneously install new antennas using the 3.5 GHz frequency band and gradually switch the existing 4G frequency bands to 5G.

As of June 1, France had a total of 34,061 approved 5G sites, of which 24,949 were declared technically viable by local mobile carriers, according to the latest monthly report published by the French spectrum agency ANFR.

In France, mobile carriers are already offering 5G services through the 700 MHz, 2.1 GHz and 3.5 GHz spectrum bands.

As of the end of May, Free Mobile had 14,886 operational 5G sites, followed by Bouygues Telecom (7,267), SFR (6,190) and Orange (3,965).