The contract also calls for rollout of a fourth-generation network, or 4G/LTE (Long Term Evolution), combined with a comprehensive package of services ranging from design, integration, rollout, to customer support.
This major, multi-year project has already begun and will be based on Ericsson RBS 6000 multi-standard equipment for the populous regions Île de France, Centre-Alpes and Méditerranée.
The result will be greater operational and energy efficiency for Bouygues Telecom and a further enhanced user experience, higher quality of service and faster connection speeds for the operator's 12 million subscribers. Bouygues Telecom covers 93% of the French population with its 3G+ network.
Olivier Roussat, CEO of Bouygues Telecom, said: "Ericsson has proven its ability to manage large-scale network projects with us in the past. This project will enable us to deliver a high level of service and further enhance the experience of people who use our 2G, 3G, and LTE technologies."
Franck Bouétard, head of Ericsson France, says: "Today's increasingly competitive marketplace demands high levels of quality and performance, which Bouyges Telecom will be able to meet with the solution they have chosen."
Ericsson is the market leader in LTE, with 38 commercial rollout contracts around the world, amounting to a 65% share of the LTE market in Q3 2011.