The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has carried ahead the roadmap planned by the European Union for the arrival of 5G. June 30 was the date chosen by Brussels for the famous 700MHz band to be released.
However, the closure and confinement caused by the arrival of Covid-19 has meant that many countries are calling for a moratorium. This is the case of Spain that is starting up again these weeks the so-called Second Digital Dividend, through which that spectrum width will be released to allow the subsequent auction of the band for telephones and continue the deployment of 5G.
The United States and China continue their advance and now the European Union does not want to lose an advantage in the deployment of this fifth generation technology . “The pandemic and its consequences on our lives and economies have highlighted the importance of digitization in all areas of the EU economy and society”, details the European Commission.
This week, the President of the European Commission, Úrsula Von der Leyen, has presented an ambitious plan that involves significant investments in 5G and 6G networks, and the main beneficiaries are expected to be health, education, transport, logistics and media, but not gave no figures.
However, it is not the only technological area that expects to receive a significant injection of money to “achieve technological sovereignty in crucial areas.” Other areas that will receive more funds include artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, secure communication, data infrastructure in the cloud, quantum supercomputers and also on the blockchain.
In addition, Von der Leyen issued an important notice to the large online platforms, on which thousands of European companies depend to access and do business, saying that new legislation known as the Digital Services Law planned for the end of 2020 will establish clear rules.
The president of the European Commission also pointed out that among her plans for the coming years is to pass a data law.