Videotron has selected Samsung Electronics as its partner for the deployment of LTE Advanced and 5G radio access technologies throughout the province of Quebec and the Ottawa region. The deal is intended to allow Videotron to accelerate wireless network deployment and aim for a gradual service availability in the second half of 2020.
Samsung will deliver its latest LTE Advanced and 5G solutions, including Radio Units (RU), Digital Units (DU), and Massive MIMO Units (MMU) supporting low, mid, and high-band spectra.
"We have been all over the world to find the best supplier suited to meet the evolving needs of our customers," said Jean Francois Pruneau, president and CEO of Videotron. "This partnership will allow us to deliver the most advanced telecommunications solutions to Quebecers. While 4G technology has profoundly transformed telecommunications in the world, LTE Advanced and 5G will undoubtedly revolutionize the way we interact with our loved ones and the environment around us. We want to be with our customers through these major changes, and the choice of Samsung as a supplier is not a coincidence; we are convinced that they represent the best option to achieve this objective. Videotron has always been at the forefront of major technological changes, and the arrival of 5G is no exception. Today's announcement is a very proud moment for us."
"We are excited to become Videotron's LTE Advanced and 5G partner," said Paul Kyungwhoon Cheun, executive vice president and head of Networks Business at Samsung. "This partnership will be marked as a significant milestone for Samsung, and it will be remembered as our first win in the Canadian market. Over the years, Samsung has been dedicated to bringing 4G and 5G technologies and devices globally. This partnership will be the first step in the journey of the network business in Canada, and our mission to bring new mobile experiences to the province of Quebec and the Ottawa region. Samsung and Videotron will continue to join forces to usher in the 5G era for enhanced communications and push towards a proliferation of a next generation of wireless networks.