From 11 to 12 December 2019, the second edition of the "Luxembourg 5G conference" on the 5th generation of mobile telecommunications (5G) in Luxembourg took place, organized at the European Convention Center Luxembourg (ECCL) by the Media and Communications Service of the Ministry of State & Digital Luxembourg.
In front of nearly 500 participants, Prime Minister and Minister of Communications and Media Xavier Bettel opened the conference by discussing the Luxembourg strategy for 5G, launched in September 2018. The strategy defines the general framework for the deployment of 5G infrastructure and aims to position Luxembourg among the leading countries in this field by ensuring that 5G is as beneficial as possible for both citizens and businesses.
"5G is no longer a technology of the future – it is now ready. Together with the operators, we are working to develop the most efficient network possible while respecting our emission thresholds, which are among the lowest in the world."
The conference was organized in a unique and participatory format, bringing together citizens, students, technical specialists, decision-makers and project managers. The first morning gave an overview of the current situation regarding the introduction of 5G in Europe, the United States and Asia before addressing cross-border aspects, synergy with other technologies (satellites, LiFi,…), but also environmental and health aspects.
On Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning, participants worked in workshops, depending on their level of familiarity with 5G, participated in interactive "challenges", and were able to discover 5G in the exhibition space.
A new feature compared to the first edition was the presence of 80 BTS students. The students discussed and presented their solutions around the following themes: Internet of Things (IoT), Smart Cities/Gov, Health, Agriculture, Automotive. Based on the knowledge gained during the plenary session, the group discussions were initiated by industry experts and professors. The students then developed their own vision of 5G, with an emphasis on skills and professions. This workshop was organized by the Digital Luxembourg initiative, with the support of the Secondary Education Department of the Ministry of National Education, Children and Youth as part of the Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition.
The conference ended on Thursday with presentations on 5G security and its impact on digital transformation.
Links to the video archives of the conference sessions are published on www.5G-conference.lu, where the results of the more than 40 workshops will also be published.
