The study provides a high-level understanding of the recent and expected developments in 5G networks, as well as their associated economics. From the estimates and feedback received, it provides early insights into the current state of 5G deployment in EU/EEA based on the estimates and feedback received from operators.
On 22 July 2019, the Commission published the results of the “Mobile cost model for roaming and the delegated act on a single EU-wide mobile voice call termination – SMART 2017/0091”. The main objective of that study was to provide the necessary input for the review of the Roam-Like-At-Home (RLAH) rules by 15 December 2019. In particular, the study included a review of the level of wholesale roaming caps. It gathered information about operators’ costs of providing wholesale roaming services covering 2G/3G/4G technologies. At the time, 5G technology was still in the early stage of development and operators could not provide sufficient information at the time to include 5G in the cost model.
Since then, operators have been rolling out 5G networks. In light of these latest developments, the Commission carried out a preliminary assessment of the impact of 5G network deployment on operators’ costs. The study will feed into assessing the impact of the rollout and implementation of next generation mobile networks and technologies on the Roaming market.
The study, carried out by Axon Partners Group, assessed information about 5G networks collected for this purpose from the operators in EU/EEA countries through NRAs, with the objective of providing a high level understanding of the recent and expected developments in 5G networks as well as their associated economics.
Conclusions in the study are based on the information of EU/EEA countries that reported data during the data gathering process. In general, replies have been mostly received from Member States with a relatively advanced deployment of the 5G technology, due to their greater availability of information related to 5G networks. This entails that any conclusion derived from this study should only be carefully transposed to other Member States with a lower status of 5G roll-out.
Download the full report or the shorter, executive summary of the full report.