South Korea's KT has awarded Ericsson a 5G contract aimed at allowing the operator to launch commercial 5G services early next month.
South Korean operators have agreed to launch 5G services at the same time in April at the request of regulator KCC.
Under the contract with Ericsson, the vendor will provide 5G new radio hardware and software for KT's 3.5-GHz non-standalone 5G network.
KT selected Ericsson as a key 5G supplier in November last year as part of its preparations for a commercial launch.
"Having worked successfully with Ericsson on 4G LTE, we are pleased to continue that partnership to make our 5G ambitions a reality with Ericsson’s leading 5G technology,” KT VP of access network design Jinho Choi said.
“Korea is one of the most competitive and technology-advanced markets in the world. By taking a global lead to enable nationwide commercial 5G services through commercially available 5G smartphones, KT is demonstrating our commitment to our customers and showing how we can drive a global 5G ecosystem where Korea plays a key role.”