Ericsson signs China Mobile for industrial internet trials

Ericsson Chief Executive Officer Borje Ekholm holds a news conference during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Yves Herman

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Sweden's Ericsson, the world's No.2 maker of mobile network equipment, said on Monday the company had signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MoU) with world's biggest network operator, China Mobile, over the weekend.

Ericsson Chief Executive Börje Ekholm told a press conference at the opening of Mobile World Congress that the new pact with China Mobile covers Internet of Things testing and field trials, with a focus on factory automation.

Ekholm said the company has several contracts with network operators for commercial deployment of next generation 5G networks starting later in 2018. He declined to provide further details.

Ericsson Chief Executive Officer Borje Ekholm holds a news conference during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Yves Herman

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Ericsson Chief Executive Officer Borje Ekholm holds a news conference during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Yves Herman

(Reporting by Eric Auchard)

Ericsson Chief Executive Officer Borje Ekholm holds a news conference during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Yves Herman