On 14 September 2016, the European Commission launched the 5G Action Plan to boost EU efforts for the deployment of 5G infrastructure and services across the Digital Single Market by 2020, and comprehensive coverage by 2025. The action plan sets out a clear roadmap for public and private investment on 5G infrastructure in the EU.
To achieve that, the Commission proposed:
⚪ Aligning roadmaps and priorities for a coordinated 5G deployment across all EU Member states, targeting early network introduction by 2018, and moving towards commercial large scale introduction by the end of 2020 at the latest.
⚪Making provisional spectrum bands available for 5G ahead of the 2019 World Radio Communication Conference (WRC-19), to be complemented by additional bands as quickly as possible, and work towards a recommended approach for the authorization of the specific 5G spectrum bands above 6GHz.
⚪Promoting early deployment in major urban areas and along major transport paths.
⚪Promoting pan-European multi-stakeholder trials as catalysts to turn technological innovation into full business solutions.
⚪Facilitating the implementation of an industry-led venture fund in support of 5G-based innovation.
⚪Uniting leading actors in working towards the promotion of global standards.
Since 2015, European countries such as Germany and Spain have started their 5G trials with world-leading 5G manufacturers including HUAWEI, ERICSSON and NOKIA. Until September 2019, according to the European 5G Observatory, 186 5G trials have taken place in Europe, 33 of which happened in non-EU countries, and 153 in 23 EU countries. The UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain account for 50% of the trials. So, which 5G manufacturer is each European country using?
According to European 5G Observatory, European stakeholders have been trialling 5G technology very actively. The trials have mainly been focusing on the Media and Entertainment sector, followed by transport and automotive sectors, while Industry 4.0 ranks 4th. Experts say that all the EU countries will be ready to deploy 5G in at least one city by 2020. France and Italy have already chosen more than five cities for the 5G trials each at the moment, and increasing number of 5G base stations have been deployed within Europe by September 2019.