European Advancement in 5G and 6G Influences Multiple Sectors with New Regulations
Brussels, Monday, 20 January 2025.
Europe is accelerating 5G and 6G growth through new regulations, enhancing connectivity and data speeds, impacting industries significantly as EU investments in digital infrastructure continue to rise.
Current State of European 5G Adoption
As of January 2025, Europe’s 5G landscape shows significant progress with 30% of mobile connections (200 million) utilizing 5G technology [3][4]. Leading countries like Denmark, Finland, Norway, and the UK have already exceeded 40% adoption rates [3]. The GSMA projects that 5G will become the dominant mobile technology in Europe by 2026, with adoption rates expected to reach 80% by 2030, potentially boosting the economy by €164 billion [3][4].
Infrastructure Investment Challenges
Despite progress, Europe faces significant investment gaps compared to global competitors. Current data shows European digital infrastructure investment is less than half that of the US [2]. This disparity is particularly concerning as only five out of 69 digital businesses valued at over €10 billion are European [2]. The situation is further highlighted by the striking difference in telecom operator scale - European operators average 5 million subscribers compared to 107 million in the US and 467 million in China [2].
Technological Innovations and Market Development
Recent developments show promising advancement in infrastructure capabilities. On January 19, 2025, Queclink launched their WR310 Series industrial router, incorporating both 5G and Wi-Fi 6 technology for enhanced industrial connectivity [1]. Additionally, 18 European operators have deployed 5G Standalone services as of September 2024, including major players like EE in the UK and Free in France [3]. The industry anticipates a three-fold increase in mobile data traffic by 2030, emphasizing the critical need for robust digital infrastructure development [3].
Future Outlook and Strategic Initiatives
The European Union is taking decisive steps to accelerate digital transformation. A significant development is the SNS JU’s announcement of €128 million in funding for 6G research and innovation in 2025 [7]. This investment focuses on critical areas including Telco Edge-Cloud, trust, security, and privacy-enhancing technologies. The initiative builds upon an existing portfolio of 79 research and innovation projects, demonstrating Europe’s commitment to maintaining technological competitiveness [7]. For successful implementation, the GSMA emphasizes the urgent need for policy reforms to enhance investment access and establish a pro-investment EU spectrum policy [4].