A webinar titled “Key Outputs from the ICT-53 Projects in Deploying 5G in Cross-Border Corridor Scenarios” took place on December 14, 2023. The event offered a comprehensive overview of the achievements, challenges and outputs of 5GMED and its ICT-53 fellow projects, namely 5G-Blueprint, 5GRAIL, and 5G-ROUTES.   

Round Table 1: Project Achievements, Outputs, and Strategic Plans  

The first round table focused on the experiences and future plans of the ICT-53 projects. Representatives from 5G-Blueprint and 5GRAIL, projects that have already concluded, shared their perspectives on ending their respective projects and planning for the final year. Representatives from 5GRoutes and 5GMED provided insights into their strategic plans for the project’s culmination next year. The discussion covered the main outputs of each project and included recommendations for successfully concluding these 5G initiatives. 

Eric Kenis, of the 5G-Blueprint project, stressed that “businesses will drive 5G deployment,” emphasising the project’s collaborative authority and validated solutions. While acknowledging technology benefits and costs, he highlighted the need for a conducive environment for real business and return on investment.  

Jose López Luque, of 5GMED, emphasized, “5GMED focuses on the 5G connectivity; we are leveraging several technologies, for example, satellites, edge computing, orchestration of services, etc. The main outcome of the project will be to push the policies of the European Union in this direction to support all of the four use cases.” 

Watch the round table 1 here:

Round Table 2: Addressing Challenges for 5G Corridor Deployment  

The second round table addressed critical challenges in deploying 5G corridors, exploring questions crucial to the success of cross-border scenarios. Participants engaged in a thought-provoking discussion on the features lacking in current 3GPP standards that could ensure low latency and minimal interruption times during cross-border handovers. Additionally, the conversation explored solutions for ensuring service and session continuity in intermittent or low-coverage areas, challenges faced when using public roads and infrastructure for large-scale testing, and the influence of cross-border aspects on these challenges. The panel also discussed challenges related to using commercial equipment for testing in cross-border scenarios and proposed business models within their projects. 

Francisco Vázquez Gallego, the technical manager of the 5GMED, outlined the main challenges the  project has been facing when using commercial equipment for testing in the cross-border: “one of the main challenges we encountered during our radio handover tests was the presence of compatibility issues arising from the use of different vendors.” 

Watch the recording of the second round table: