For the past year, the telecommunications field has had to drive through a challenging road to shape the main pillars and standards for 5G. Nowadays, in a time when most of the developed countries have already granted licenses for deploying and operating 5G networks within their territories, a series of legal, regulatory, competition and security concerns around 5G has the potential to make the path for achieving its full development not as smooth as it could be.

Notwithstanding states and supranational organisation have always treated telecommunications as a strategic matter, the arrival of 5G along with the commercial and technological race - mainly led by the USA and China - has compelled such entities to consider 5G networks as one of the most significant national and international economic and security issues of recent years. Thus, the telecommunications community is focusing on analysing how to deal with the expected 5G deployment pace and the swift emergence of innovative 5G applications within a robust legal and regulatory framework that could protect national interests, ensure free competition, and guarantee citizens/consumers digital rights.

This panel will address the legal and regulatory challenges for the deployment and operation of 5G networks, especially concerning infrastructure and equipment, cybersecurity, technology dependence, new applications, and the need of coordination between states and supranational organisations.