Not evolution but revolution: European industry’s 5G future

Hosted by the European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association ETNO, the event sent a clear message: 5G is not an evolution, but a revolution. As ETNO Director General Lise Fuhr stated in her opening remarks: “5G is a game changer for all of us - for Europe’s industry, its administration and our citizens.” This was echoed throughout the panel debate, with Politico tech reporter Laurens Cerulus delving deeper into the issues with contributors MEP Angelika Niebler, the European Commission’s Pearse O’Donohue (Director, DG CONNECT), Henri Korpi, Executive Vice President of telecom services provider Elisa, and Orgalim Director General Malte Lohan.

Mr Lohan brought to the table the views of Europe’s technology industries, companies innovating at the crossroads of digital and physical tech to drive digitalisation throughout the economy and society. He underlined the “transformational impact” of 5G for manufacturing, as it can facilitate real-time data analytics through connected sensors integrated across the production chain - translating into greater efficiency and productivity while enabling new data-driven business models. The importance of 5G for industry’s future competitiveness is not lost on policymakers either, with MEP Niebler highlighting it as a central focus area for the new European Parliament.

For Mr Lohan, this is an unmissable opportunity for EU policymakers: “Europe needs to demonstrate in the next five years that we deliver value for citizens - and as a fundamental pillar supporting digitally enabled solutions to society’s biggest challenges, getting it right on 5G will be an important step.”

What is needed to make it happen? The panel agreed that stepping up investment is a top priority. However, as Mr Lohan pointed out: “Investment is not just about money - it’s also about creating trust and confidence in the market and demonstrating the potential of new business models.” He set out three key recommendations from the perspective of Europe’s technology industries: a holistic strategy that connects the dots between the policy areas relevant for investment, a regulatory framework that recognises the differences between B2C and B2B environments, and a strong horizontal approach to cybersecurity.

Overall, panelists struck an optimistic note on the EU’s ability to capitalise on the potential of 5G. Despite pressure from the US and China, Europe’s robust industrial base puts it in a very strong position to carve out competitive advantage. Underlining the dynamism of the EU’s technology ecosystems, Mr Lohan argued that success will not depend on the emergence of a few isolated ‘European champions’ but rather on enabling the speed and innovation these ecosystems need to bring use cases to market. The language of the consumer Internet may be that of the US, concluded ETNO’s Lise Fuhr, but “with 5G and the IoT, industrial and digital applications will have the opportunity to speak European.”

For more on the transformative impact of 5G on the factory floor, check out our Technology at Heart report on an innovative collaboration between SKF, Ericsson and Chalmers University of Technology.

Photos: Politico