How much is 5G worth for Europe? Over 200 billion

What economic impact could 5G have on the European continent? Is it possible to estimate the benefit that the new generation connectivity is able to project on prospective markets? Qualcomm and Ericsson, two of the most exposed brands on this front, attempted to answer these questions by composing estimates that intend to photograph what 5G is able to offer and which today still simply hides among its potential.

5G, the potential benefits in Europe

According to the estimate, a country like Germany could obtain benefits of 38.5 billion euros with an investment that does not exceed 700 million: a very important multiplier , in short, which is reflected in parallel also on the other European countries. Overall, the benefit for the old continent could reach over 200 billion euros, representing a fundamental lever for the post-pandemic economic recovery.

Gabriel Solomon, Head of Government and Industry Relations at Ericsson Europe, also underlines how, as an open innovation platform, “5G offers the critical infrastructures necessary to help Europe achieve a sustainable economic revival , resilient and inclusive ". The estimates of Ericsson and Qualcomm may inevitably be optimistic, as they are composed of the same actors interested in the development of networks, equipment and devices, but at the same time they hit the mark: the multiplier for this investment can be high and Europe can also benefit from it. more than others precisely as a result of the lack of communication infrastructure in many areas. 5G can therefore be an enabling factor whose results could go beyond its ambitions alone, since on every front it is a question of developing an enabling infrastructure for public administrations, businesses and citizens.

And in Italy ?

For Italy, however, the forecasts are of a lower CBR (cost-benefit ratio) than in other areas. In our country, in fact, the potential benefit is estimated at 14253 million compared to a necessary investment of 6617 million, with a net plus estimated at just over 7600 million. The sector that can benefit the most is that of Public Services (ROI 5.7), while the potential in smart rural areas is very important (where the overall benefit can be equal to 3,275 million.