# UNITEL Technologies France
> Unitel Group supported Ericsson's private 5G smart city deployment in Istres, France, alongside SPIE.

Canonical page: https://cradlepoint.ericsson.com/our-partners/profile/unitel-technologies-france
Marketplace: Ericsson
Last updated: 2026-10-26
Logo: https://assets.partnerfleet.app/8yjsqpgaubh6s7ifwm5bmswapksd

## At a glance
- Solutions: [Ericsson neutral host](https://cradlepoint.ericsson.com/our-partners/t/solutions/private-cellular-networks)
- Partner type: Reseller, Wireless WAN partner
- Where they work: Europe, Middle-East, and Africa, Western Europe
- Website: [www.unitel.fr](https://www.unitel.fr)

## Call to actions
- **Need help finding a partner?** — submit the contact form on https://cradlepoint.ericsson.com/our-partners/profile/unitel-technologies-france

## Description
Unitel Group partnered with Ericsson and SPIE to deploy a private 5G network for the City of Istres in southern France, helping establish Istres as one of the first mid-sized European cities to implement sovereign private 5G infrastructure. Unitel provided additional local support to ensure the network served critical communications, public safety and AI-powered urban solutions.

The Istres deployment reduces surveillance camera installation costs by more than 80 percent compared to traditional fiber-based infrastructure, while improving secure emergency communications and enabling edge computing for AI-ready urban security. The project is intended as a blueprint for other mid-sized European cities and plans to expand coverage to a nearby low-carbon industrial zone.

## Benefits
- **Named partner in Ericsson's Istres smart city deployment** — Unitel Group partnered with Ericsson and SPIE on the Istres deployment, one of the first sovereign private 5G smart-city projects in Europe.
- **Local support and ecosystem coordination** — Unitel provided additional local support to ensure the network served critical communications and public safety needs.
- **Part of a sovereign private 5G blueprint for Europe** — The Istres project is intended as a blueprint for other mid-sized European cities to modernize connectivity without major upfront fiber investment.

## Services
- **Local deployment support** — Local support coordination for Ericsson private 5G smart city deployments.
- **Ecosystem coordination** — Ecosystem coordination between technology vendors and municipal stakeholders.
- **Public-sector network support** — Ongoing local support for public-safety and urban connectivity networks.

## FAQ
### What is Unitel's role in the Istres private 5G project?
Unitel Group partnered with Ericsson and SPIE to deploy a private 5G network for the City of Istres, France, providing local support for the project.

### How did Ericsson, SPIE and Unitel divide the project?
Ericsson supplied the core 5G technology and security protocols, SPIE handled deployment and system integration, and Unitel Group provided additional local support.

### What does the Istres private 5G network support?
The network supports critical communications, mobile video surveillance, public safety and AI-powered urban solutions.