A 5G testbed in the Dutch province of North Groningen was officially launched, when an international agreement was signed between the ten partner organisations who initiated the project. This ground-breaking initiative signed at the Ministry of Economic Affairs brings together partners from the fields of telecommunications, innovation, science and sustainable economic development to jointly research the practical applications of 5G, the next generation of mobile technology. This 5Groningen project is an initiative of Economic Board Groningen, KPN, the Dutch Telecommunications Agency (Agentschap Telecom), Vodafone, Huawei, Ericsson, TNO, the University of Groningen, SURF and the Hanze University of Applied Sciences.
Innovation research will focus on the sectors of logistics, healthcare, the environment, energy and agriculture. Self-driving cars and the monitoring of crop diseases are two flagship examples of specific applications to be targeted. Groningen is the only rural area in Europe where 5G tests are being carried out, making the 5Groningen project a unique initiative at an EU level. The first series of tests will be launched before the end of the year at Zernike Campus, Groningen’s large research complex.
Leading 5G innovation
This unique new testing environment will serve as another stepping stone towards 5G deployment by 2020, meaning that citizens and the economy as a whole, in North Groningen as elsewhere, will be able to reap the benefits of this new technology.
The agricultural sector is set to be among the leaders of 5G innovation. Farmers are at the forefront of technological innovation; not only with regard to the efficiency of their business operations, but also, importantly, with a view to ensuring sustainability and environmental protection. Other sectors in the Netherlands and the rest of Europe are paying close attention to agricultural innovation in the fields of sensors, drones and other technologies that will benefit from 5G development.
Healthcare is another key sector where 5G will have a strong impact. Enabling elderly people to live independently for longer, thanks to advanced monitoring technologies, is just one example of how 5G will be making a difference in this field.
