STOCKHOLM, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Nokia has

signed a contract with Deutsche Telekom to roll out a

mobile network using Open Radio Access Network (ORAN) in more

than 3,000 sites in Germany, the Finnish telecom equipment maker

said in a statement on Wednesday.

The new deal formally marks Nokia's return as a supplier to

Europe's largest network after Deutsche Telekom chose Ericsson

equipment for parts of its network in 2017.

The deal, which includes Fujitsu ( FJTSF ), covers a mass

rollout of ORAN-compliant technology with commercial deployment

already underway in the Neubrandenburg area of Northern Germany.

After the companies did a trial run last year, Nokia

will replace equipment from the incumbent, China's Huawei

.

Both Nokia and Ericsson have been looking to sell

equipment with ORAN technology that promises deep cost cuts by

using cloud-based software and equipment from many suppliers

instead of relying on just one.

Ericsson had already got big contracts with AT&T ( T )

and Spain's largest telecoms operator, MasOrange.