Ericsson, a Swedish technology company, celebrated its 150th anniversary at the Swedish residence in Rabat on October 6. The event brought together partners, customers, and Nordic diplomatic representatives for an evening centered on innovation, trust, and the company's decades-long presence in Morocco. The milestone dates back to April 1, 1876, when Lars Magnus Ericsson opened a small mechanical workshop in central Stockholm.
The company's focus has shifted from early telephones and switchboards to mobile communications, 5G, cloud infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and research into future networks. Ericsson currently holds more than 60,000 granted patents worldwide. The company's leadership in Morocco used the Rabat celebration to honor both its legacy and vision for the future.
Sweden's Ambassador to Morocco, Fredrika Ornbrant, highlighted the importance of cooperation and trusted partnerships in innovation. "Innovation doesn't happen in isolation," she said. "It's based on cooperation, trusted partnerships, and exchange of ideas across borders." Ornbrant leads Sweden's diplomatic mission in Morocco at a time when technology and business cooperation form part of wider bilateral ties.
Ornbrant pointed to Ericsson's 42-year presence in Morocco as an example of the importance of long-term relationships. "Trusted partnership is key," she said. "Ericsson has been in Morocco for 42 years. And that is a sign of long-term engagement, which is critical for the company's success."
Majda Lahlou Kassi, President of Ericsson Morocco and Vice President and Head of Ericsson West and Southern Africa, described the evening as a recognition of both the people behind the company's history and the partnerships that have sustained its presence in the Kingdom. Kassi said Ericsson has participated in successive generations of telecommunications networks during its time in Morocco.
Ericsson's presence in Morocco dates back to 1984, when telecommunications in the Kingdom still relied largely on fixed networks. The company contributed to the development of that infrastructure, first through mechanical switches and later through their evolution toward digital exchanges. By the end of the 1990s, Ericsson had expanded its activities to intelligent network services before accompanying successive generations of mobile networks.
The company's activities in Morocco now extend beyond 4G and 5G networks to new uses for businesses and industry, automation, infrastructure resilience and digital skills. Ericsson also plans to continue working with institutions, education, industry and telecom stakeholders while developing digital skills, with security, resilience, sustainability and trust remaining part of that approach.
Key points
- Ericsson celebrates 150 years of innovation and renews its commitment to Morocco.
- The company's presence in Morocco dates back to 1984 and has evolved through successive generations of telecommunications networks.
- Ericsson's future plans in Morocco include supporting operators as 4G, 5G and future networks evolve, alongside private 5G, IoT, automation, industrial connectivity and AI-assisted network operations.
