The 5G PPP will develop 5G technology, which is expected to be deployed in the next decade, and secure a leadership position for Europe in rolling out the service.
According to the commission, every sector of the economy is going digital and requires more efficient technology to carry the data traffic.
Werner Mohr, head of research alliances at Nokia Solutions and Networks and chair of the 5G PPP Association, said LTE is expected to meet market demand until the end of this decade. However, he argued that after 2020, a new generation of technologies will be needed to address market demands.
The 5G PPP will become operational at the beginning of 2014 and will receive €700 million from the EU over the next seven years under the commission's Horizon 2020 research programme. The EU funding is expected to be matched by industry participants.
The industry will be responsible for setting the research agenda, while the commission will take charge of evaluating and selecting appropriate projects. The Commission will follow the rules of Horizon 2020 in terms of calls, selection, negotiation, contracting of project proposals as well as monitoring and payments of funded projects.
“This is an important milestone towards an industry-wide agreement on use cases, requirements and technologies for 5G,” said Werner Mohr.
