Alcatel-Lucent and China Mobile have announced a one-year agreement valued at as much as 750 million euros ($1.03 billion) to provide technology that will move China Mobile to an all-IP, ultra-broadband network, paving the way for future network function virtualization (NFV) and cloud-based services, Telecompaper reported on Thursday, explaining that the agreement includes IP networking and 4G TD-LTE technology.

This coincides with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s French visit to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Sino-French diplomatic relations. Alcatel-Lucent has a long connection with China and is marking Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell‘s 30th anniversary as a major player in China\'s telecoms industry.

The French-Chinese agreement builds on that long-standing relationship and strengthens Alcatel-Lucent’s role in the world’s largest mobile network. In 2013, China Mobile selected the company for its innovative lightRadio 4G TD-LTE overlay, Evolved Packet Core (EPC), and small cell technology to support a new 4G network.