EU digital economy commissioner Günther Oettinger on Tuesday officially presented the 5G public-private partnership’s (PPP’s) vision for 5G in a bid to ensure Europe has its say on global standards for the next-generation of mobile technology.
5G "represents a bold opportunity to create a more competitive industry, growth, and jobs for our citizens," he said during a press conference at Mobile World Congress that included representatives from major carriers and vendors.
Specifically, the 5G PPP’s vision is of a network that combines optical, cellular and even satellite connectivity. It will also use software-defined networking (SDN), network functions virtualisation (NFV), mobile edge computing (MEC) and fog computing (FC) technologies. In terms of spectrum, it will require hundreds of MHz to provide sufficient capacity. Higher frequency bands of 6 GHz and above should also be considered.
5G must also be flexible, and perform well even in challenging environments such as heavily-contended, as well as sparsely-populated, areas, and alongside major transport links.
The EU said the first 5G networks should go into operation in the 2020-2025 period.
5G "paves the way for the digitisation of the economy at large. 5G will be the infrastructure supporting multiple vertical business segments," said Oettinger, citing the automotive and healthcare sectors, as well as the Internet of Things (IoT).
"The 5G vision opens a clear path to rejuvenate our telecom industry," he continued, adding that the 5G PPP can rely on the European Commission’s "undivided support…to consolidate European leadership on this critical infrastructure."
