Spain will allocate state funds for 5G rollout in rural parts of the country.
the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation has announced that the funds will be made available for network deployments in towns with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants. It’s the latest tender in the “Universalisation of Digital Infrastructures for Cohesion (UNICO)” programme.
Spain is pioneering this aid in Europe to avoid the appearance of a territorial gap in 5G implementation, said Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructures María González Veracruz. The 5G Active Networks are part of various UNICO projects the government is developing to ensure equal connectivity for people wherever they live or work as a new right of citizenship.
To spur rollout in rural areas, the funds are aimed at operators with rights to use frequencies in the 5G bands. This will encourage them to deploy the technology in smaller cities, the government said. The money will allow them to provide necessary active and passive equipment and, where appropriate, backhaul, and reinforcement of masts or energy needed for 5G standalone services. The projects must be completed by 30 June 2025.
