The Nordic and Baltic countries to be the preferred test site for 5G

The action plan follows a joint statement by the prime ministers at their last meeting in the Swedish city of Örnsköldsvik on 23 May.   Here, the message was clear and ambitious: the Nordic countries must be fully involved in the development and application of 5G, and must be the world’s leading 5G region. 

“The Nordic countries have the opportunity to be out in front when next-generation mobile technology is rolled out,” says Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven.

First and foremost, the action plan contains initiatives to secure regional co-ordination of frequencies and spectra for the testing and use of cross-border 5G technologies. This work will be done in close dialogue with the authorities, telecom operators and the business community. In 2019 and 2020, meetings will be held with experts and representatives from telecom operators and other business stakeholders. This work will also be aligned with the European 5G co-operation.   

The proactive work sets concrete targets to support regional co-operation in the development and testing of digital and sustainable technologies based on 5G. The target group consists of selected industries where the Nordic and Baltic countries already have advanced testing environments and are international front-runners. This applies, for example, to the development of technology for the monitoring and streamlining of the transport area, energy networks, the environment and the support of welfare and health services in all parts of the countries. The main tasks will be to map the Nordic and Baltic innovation and testing environments, identify regional technologies based on 5G, and promote collaboration between and profiling of Nordic and Baltic test environments. Dagfinn Høybråten, Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers, presented the action plan to the prime ministers.

“We are a small region, but together we can make our mark on the global market and attract foreign investment. If we are to be a leading 5G region in the world, we must ensure that we have advanced testing facilities and innovative environments. Through co-operation, we can make use of each other's strengths,” said Høybråten.