The first Spanish candidate elected, Arturo Azcorra, is a pioneer in internet and network science research in Spain, and is also recognized as a promoter of the concept of "telematics" as an academic and scientific discipline born from the integration of telecommunications and computer science. Former director of the CDTI (Center for the Development of Industrial Technology), Azcorra is a Professor in the Department of Telematics at Carlos III University of Madrid and the founding director of the network research institute IMDEA Networks. His election reinforces the growing international impact of this young Madrid-based institute for advanced studies, which since 2006 has been pursuing cutting-edge scientific research aimed at achieving excellence in information and communication technologies (ICTs) research conducted in Spain. The ICT sector is a key catalyst for progress in industry and society, with a vital socio-economic impact on the future of Europe.
The second Spaniard to join this committee is Carles Antón-Haró, Director of R&D Programs at the Centre Tecnologic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC), a technology research center specializing in communications systems based in Barcelona. The presence of these two scientists on a European decision-making body is a significant endorsement of the quality and international standing of network science in Spain.
The other four scientists who have joined the committee are Emilio Calvanese-Strinati, Director of the Strategic Program for Intelligent Devices and Telecommunications at CEA-LETI (France); Nicola Blefari Melazzi, Professor at CNIT – Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Telecomunicazioni (Italy); Rui Aguiar, leader of the networks and multimedia group at the Instituto de Telecomunicações (Portugal); and Alessandro Vanelli-Coralli, Full Professor at the University of Bologna – DEI (Italy).
Dr. Azcorra and the other new members will be responsible for the Strategic Research Agenda (SRA), which will be implemented by a public-private partnership (PPP) comprised of the 400
ICT research entities from the EU and associated countries that voted yesterday. This PPP will lead the development of the “Horizon 2020 Advanced 5G Network Infrastructure for Future Internet PPP.” This program, known as the “5G PPP,” aims to provide solutions, architectures, technologies, and standards to create ubiquitous, robust, flexible, interoperable, and cost-effective ICT infrastructures and smart communications networks.
The launch of the 5G PPP initiative is framed within “Horizon 2020,” the EU’s research framework program, which will operate from 2014 for a period of seven years, with an estimated budget of €80 billion. The 5G PPP will receive approximately €120 million from the European Commission, plus contributions from the participating companies, the amount of which is yet to be determined.
European Technology Platforms (ETPs) are forums comprised of industry-led interest groups, bringing together researchers, companies, and other stakeholders to develop short- and long-term research and innovation agendas and roadmaps at the European and national levels, supported by private and public funding. The ETPs Net!Works (Converged Fixed and Wireless Communication Networks) and ISI (Integral Satcom Initiative) have merged at this assembly. These two ICT platforms are thus combining their efforts to strengthen European industrial and technological leadership in the field of mobile and satellite communications, with the vision of seamless and transparent access to voice, data, and multimedia services—whether via mobile, wireless, fixed, or satellite connections—as a new shared challenge.
The rise of mobile internet has probably been the most remarkable communication phenomenon of recent years. The ICT market now contributes 5-6% to European GDP and employs more than 7 million people, with a positive correlation between mobile phone penetration and an increase in GDP per capita. The current state of 4G is just the beginning of a revolution toward internet access services of unprecedented complexity and richness. The future 5G network will deliver advancements such as 1,000 times the current wireless connection capacity per area for 7 billion people and 7 trillion objects, with energy savings of 90% for each service provided, and the creation of a secure and reliable internet with zero perceived downtime for the end user.
The telecommunications infrastructure built in Europe has contributed to improving the quality of life for Europeans, enriching services in many areas with increasing dependence on connectivity, such as health and well-being, energy and the environment, and transport. The 5G PPP initiative also aims to reduce the digital divide between urban and rural areas, accelerate the adoption and use of ICT services, strengthen the competitiveness of the European economy, and promote innovation and research that will allow Europe to regain global technological leadership.
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