EU hopes 5G partnership with South Korea will drag it back into mobile lead

A joint research partnership with South Korea may push Europe towards cutting edge with ultra fast 5G mobile technology The European Union is forming a joint research partnership with South Korea to focus on ultra fast “5G” mobile broadband technology.


South Korea is one of the most advanced countries in mobile technology usage and infrastructure, with one of the fastest mobile broadband networks currently available, and home to Samsung, the world’s biggest smartphone manufacturer.


"5G will become the new lifeblood of the digital economy and digital society once it is established," the EU commissioner for telecoms Neelie Kroes said in a statement on Monday.


The EU estimates that a 5G internet connection will allow users to a high-definition movie in six seconds, versus up to six minutes with current 4G technology – which has only just begun to achieve substantial adoption in Europe. Current 4G technology can already achieve download speeds of 150 megabits per second, with future versions able to achieve 1 gigabit per second; 5G would offer substantially more, though no standard has been set.


A common 5G standard and roll out timetable by end of 2015


“This is the first time ever that public authorities have joined together in this way, with the support of private industry, to push forward the process of standardization,” Kroes said. Ultra fast 5G mobile broadband is still in the early stages of development, but the partnership will allow the European commission and South Korea to work towards a common standard and roll out timetable by the end of 2015.


The two parties will also unify the radio frequencies used for 5G, which will make it easier and cheaper for manufacturers to make 5G smartphones and other devices as well as making it more straightforward for users to move between countries and areas. Kroes pledged to ensuring that the necessary radio bands to support the new networks would be made available.


Faster, stronger, internet of things-capable


Europe led the mobile competition in the 1990s, but has fallen behind the US and Asia as faster 4G networks rolled out. Kroes hopes that the partnership will propel the EU back into the lead.


The 5G standard promises faster and stronger connections to cope with the expanding numbers of mobile internet users, but also the connected devices part of the “Internet of Things” – where every appliance and piece of infrastructure around the home and streets is smart and connected to the internet.


The EU said it would spend €700m (£560m) on 5G research over the next seven years in December, while telecoms companies are expected to contribute over €3bn. Europe's 5G Infrastructure Association, which includes telecoms companies Alcatel-Lucent, Deutsche Telekom, Telefonica and Orange, will work directly with South Korea’s 5G forum.