Canadian operator Videotron tapped Samsung as a supplier for a planned deployment of LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) and 5G technology in 2020, handing the equipment vendor its first network win in the country.

Samsung will provide base stations and Massive MIMO equipment for Videotron’s LTE-A rollout in the cities of Quebec and Ottowa, and 5G RAN products compatible with 3.5GHz and 28GHz bands, as the operator works toward launches on both in late 2020.

Paul Kyungwhoon Cheun, EVP and head of Networks Business at Samsung, stated the contract marks a “significant milestone” for the company’s 5G business.

Over the past two years, Samsung worked to establish a stronger position in the equipment market, aiming to leverage the transition to 5G to break the grip of larger rivals.

It initially homed in on early-mover markets including the US and South Korea, making inroads with three of the four dominant operators in the former (AT&T, Verizon and Sprint) and all of the latter’s major players (SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus) as a 5G supplier.