UK’s mobile service provider Three has selected Samsung Electronics to provide LTE Radio Access Network (RAN) and 3G / LTE core infrastructure solutions. This deployment is Samsung’s first commercial mobile network roll-out in Europe.

As part of the agreement, Samsung will deploy LTE base stations, including all associated systems and network support services, across Three’s UK-wide network. The solution will be trialled by Three UK and Samsung starting this year and moving to full deployment and commercialisation in 2013.

“Three’s customers will start benefitting from this investment in our core network early next year and those benefits will grow further as we deploy new spectrum,” said Dave Dyson, CEO of Three UK.

According to Samsung, it has already partnered with dozens of mobile service providers including Sprint and MetroPCS in the US, KDDI in Japan and Mobily in Saudi Arabia to help them implement advanced LTE solutions. Samsung provides a comprehensive end-to-end LTE portfolio spanning radio access networks, core networks, IMS, system integration and managed services.