\tLIVE FROM GLOBAL 5G EVENT, VALENCIA: Operators were urged to ensure 5G becomes the mobile generation to finally and fully address the world\u2019s digital divide, with ITU figures indicating 3.9 billion people are still unconnected.<\/p>\n
In a session on cross-regional collaboration, Luciano Leonel Mendes, technical coordinator of the 5G-RANGE project (pictured) outlined the work of the initiative, which is focused on closing the connectivity gap in remote areas of Europe and Brazil in collaboration with the European Union.<\/p>\n
He said the project had a number of goals, which included bringing 5G services to rural and remote areas, explaining that in some cases a lack of access was not the issue, but more the quality of what was available.<\/p>\n
\u201cVoice and data connectivity is the last frontier for universal internet access,\u201d he said. \u201cEveryone in a city is connected, but if you move 5km or 6km out you can lose connectivity or the service is so bad people are not willing to pay for it.”<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is now time to change this balance and find a solution for people that allows people to be connected if they want\u2026we need to address this in the 5G era, not beyond, not in 6G\u201d.<\/p>\n
To motivate operators to invest in more remote areas, Mendes said addressing under-served areas could promote competition and open up new revenue opportunities in certain vertical areas, for example smart farming; remote healthcare; providing better coverage of roads; and IoT capabilities.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a huge market for operators,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LIVE FROM GLOBAL 5G EVENT, VALENCIA: Operators were urged to ensure 5G becomes the mobile …<\/p>\n
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