Tech4i2 with partners Real Wireless, Trinity College Dublin and InterDigital undertook a 5G study in partnership with the European Commission. (‘Identification and Quantification of key Socio-economic data for the strategic planning of 5G introduction in Europe’ SMART 2014/0008)

The main focus of this study was to identify where 5G will make a difference. Research identified relevant use cases and examined whether the ubiquitous connectivity and greater access to information and data offered by 5G will be a game changer. Whatever the potential impacts the study identified the key opportunities that could arise for EU28 Member States. This study differed from others by focusing more on the costs and returns and socio-economic impacts of 5G and by an input-output analysis we estimated numbers in the study.

On 14th September 2016, President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, in his speech recognised and mentioned the work undertaken on the 5G study by Tech4i2 quoting, “Connectivity should benefit everyone. That is why today the Commission is proposing to fully deploy 5G, the fifth generation of mobile communication systems, across the European Union by 2025. This has the potential to create a further two million jobs in the EU.”