GLOBAL: Ericsson sole supplier for Rogers' LTE buildout

Fresh off announcing stellar first-quarter results in which it said it was the LTE market leader, L.M. Ericsson (ERIC) announced it will be the sole supplier for Rogers Communications Inc.’s (RCI) LTE buildout. The value of the contract was not disclosed.
Ericsson will deliver an end-to-end LTE network, including RBS 6000 multi-standard radio base stations, and upgrade and expand Rogers’ existing packet core network into an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network.
The Canadian operator will likely beat its competitor Telus Mobility (TU) to commercial launch. Telus earlier this month said it plans to have its LTE network up and running by early next year. The carrier plans to perform field tests later this year with undisclosed vendors.
For its part, Rogers has had a long-standing relationship with Ericsson that spans 25 years. Rogers plans to deploy LTE commercially in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Ottawa, this year, and expand to the largest 25 markets next year.
“The world is moving to LTE and we’re thrilled to be leading the way by bringing this next generation technology to our consumer and business customers,” said Nadir Mohamed, President and CEO of Rogers Communications. “We’re investing substantially to drive Canada’s digital economy and we’re excited to bring this platform for innovation to Canadians.”
Rogers will initially launch LTE using AWS spectrum but plans to deploy LTE in multiple bands to ensure the best possible experience for customers
“This deal reaffirms Ericsson’s leadership in LTE and further extends our long-standing relationship with Rogers. Ericsson’s LTE/EPC network will enable Rogers to deliver unique experiences for people and businesses thereby shaping the networked society,” said Angel Ruiz, head of Ericsson North America.
Ericsson said it has signed commercial LTE contracts with six of seven of the top ranked operators by 2010 global revenue. In North America, the world’s fastest growing LTE market, it counts four LTE contracts, including deals with AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless.