Ericsson in France
Established in France since 1909, Ericsson is one of the main telecommunications infrastructure providers, partner of most French service providers and / or operators in France.
Ericsson also supplies for companies, administrations and local communities which have growing needs in telecom services.
Ericsson is one of the major equipment manufacturers on 4G and 5G deployments in France.
Ericsson is present in France on three sites located in Ile de France and in Brittany.
Our collaborators contribute daily to the creation of value and the development of innovation, in particular via our R&D center, which opened in early 2020.
1000
employees, including over 180 at the R&D center
+ 110
years of presence in France
43 %
of women in Ericsson France Leadership Team
Opened in January 2020, Ericsson France R&D center is located in Paris area.
Its focus areas are 5G and 6G in the domains of security, AI and automatization, private and mission critical networks.
We are in a strong development phase, with ongoing recruitments.
En savoir plus
The history of Ericsson in France
1909 - 1970: Establishment in France and development at the service of the French telecoms
- 1909: After the fire of telephone station on Rue Gutenberg in Paris, Ericsson is chosen upon recommandations to replace it by the French PTT (Post, Telegraph & Telephone).
- 1911: Creation of the French subsidiary of Ericsson, the Société Française des Téléphones Ericsson (STE)
- 1912: Construction of a factory in Colombes, a suburb of Paris. STE succeeded from the beginning in becoming the supplier of the French PTT.
- 1966: STE is listed on the stock exchange
- Between 1960 and 1970: four new production plants are built.
1970 - 2010 : Expansion to become one of the two suppliers of telecommunications equipment in France
- 1976: Following a call for tenders by the PTT to modernize the French telephone network, Ericsson's AXE system is chosen. Since the French government wanted telecommunications development to remain national, an agreement was reached with Ericsson for the French electronics company Thomson-CSF to buy STE, which would then manufacture the AXE system under license.
- 1987: The AXE system got a new start in France when Ericsson, with the approval of the French government, created a joint venture with the French electronics company Matra: Matra Ericsson Telecommunications S A (MET). MET became one of the two suppliers of telecommunications equipment in France. The other is Alcatel.
- 1992 : Ericsson provides directly a GSM network to France.
- 1998: Ericsson buys Matra, making MET a wholly owned subsidiary. At that time, MET had a 30% market share for fixed networks. By this time, two other Ericsson companies selling cell phones and corporate networks had also established themselves in France.
2010 and beyond: Strengthening activities, Ericsson becomes a key player in 5G in France
- 2011 and 2013, strengthening of our consulting and systems integration capabilities by successively acquiring Tridge Group, a French IT services company specializing in BSS (Business Support Systems - billing chain), and Devoteam Telecom & Media grouping together specialists in IT services
- 2012, strengthening of our broadcasting activities with the acquisition of Technicolor's Broadcast Services activity
- 2014, inauguration of our Mediadôme in Boulogne Billancourt
- 2016, inauguration of our Garage France dedicated to innovation and located in the premises of our headquarters in Massy (91), as well as a branch in Lannion. This Innovation Lab is an open lab in which ecosystem players can develop their IOT, AI and Industry 4.0 ideas and projects.
- 2016, Orange and Ericsson sign a global 5G partnership
- 2017, Ericsson Broadcast and Media Services became Red Bee Media, a subsidiary of the Ericsson group
- Since 2017, Franck Bouétard heads the Country Unit comprising France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Algeria and Tunisia and the Global Customer Unit Orange Group.
- 2020, the first R&D center in Massy opens in France, directed by Birgitta Finnander.
- 2020, signature with Orange France of an agreement to become their major radio supplier for the next 5 years and to equip 3 regions (North-East, South-West and IDF / Paris)
- 2021, development of the Enterprise activity: signatures with Airbus; Thales and EDF; ArcelorMittal, for the implementation of private networks.
- In 2022, launch of the 5G satellite project with Thales and Qualcomm, Orange and Bouygues Telecom strengthen their partnership with Ericsson France, respectively for Charging and for 5G SA and for enterprises.
- In 2023, Ericsson continues to develop use cases for industrial 5G, such as with ArcelorMittal and 5G Steel
- As of June 8, 2023, Christian Leon takes over the position of Head of Customer Unit France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Algeria & Tunisia and Global Customer Unit Orange for Ericsson – in addition to his role as Managing Director of Ericsson France. He is based in Paris.
If you want to join our team at the heart of technology and innovation, follow the link below and apply now!
Our job opportunities
Our commitments
Equal opportunities
We have a policy of social responsibility which is reflected in our commitment to the Article 1 association. Every year, in parallel to their professional activities, Ericsson tutors get involved in supporting pupils and students in their career.
More than 400 young people have been supported by Ericsson in France since 2006.
Support to the local economy
Ericsson contributes to the French economy with the employment of 400 subcontractors and €350 million of purchases from French groups.
Gender equality
Gender equality in the workplace is a subject we take to heart at Ericsson.
For the year 2023, the Egapro index, the tool for calculating professional equality between women and men in France, has given Ericsson France a score of 87/100 (+3 points).
43% of Ericsson France's Executive Committee members are women, and 40% of managers are women.
Ericsson France is also a partner of the association Elles Bougent whose objective is to promote scientific careers to young women.
