Europe is lagging behind in rolling out the fast 5G mobile internet. At the current pace, Europe will need at least another two years to reach the level of China. This is what Borge Aecom, CEO of the Swedish telecom equipment producer Ericsson, said in an interview with the French newspaper “Le Monde”. He warns that Europe is at risk of losing new jobs.
According to Eckhom, Europe was already behind on 4G. According to him, this may explain why there are no major digital players in Europe. “The major platforms are almost all American or Chinese, the two regions where 4G was launched first. I fear that this will happen again with 5G and that Europe will lose many of the functions of the future.”
According to the head of Ericsson, Australia, South Korea and the Middle East are also ahead of Europe. In China, 11 percent of subscribers now switch to 5G. In North America the figure is 4%, and in Europe it is about 1%.
Expensive licenses
As a reason for the slow rollout of 5G in Europe, Eckhom cites, among other things, low return on investors. In both Europe and the United States, licenses to use some portable frequencies are very expensive. But while US operators have the frequencies they buy, they are only for a limited time in Europe. According to him, this is the reason for the withdrawal of investors. In addition, the licensing procedure is very slow and complicated.
According to the president of Ericsson, public opinion about the potential risks of 5G also plays a role. “Just like with the Corona vaccine, there are doubts here as well. However, studies have sufficiently shown that 5G has no negative effect on health.”
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