A European Commission (EC) proposal set to be released next month will outline a shake-up to existing regulation to help operators with the cost of rolling out 5G, Reuters reported, part of a wider plan for all citizens in the bloc to have access to gigabit connectivity by 2030.

Reuters reported an official document outlines EC goals to cut red tape to help major operators including Deutsche Telekom, Orange and Telecom Italia push out 5G. The news agency stated the measures could slash annual administrative costs to the tune of about €40 million.

The EC’s latest push aims to help with a wider plan for all Europeans have access to gigabit connectivity and 5G, as well as ensure 75 per cent of companies operating in the continent use cloud infrastructure or AI by the end of the decade.

It will release more details on the proposal, dubbed the Gigabit Infrastructure Act, on 10 February.

In 2022, industry groups ETNO and the GSMA piled pressure on the EC to encourage big technology companies to share the cost of deploying the infrastructure required to meet the 2030 gigabit connectivity goal.

Streamlined process
Fleshing out the cost cutting measures, the EC document reportedly states several of the proposed changes aims to clarify rules and streamline procedures, along with clearly laying out rights and obligations.

The EC is also expected to propose operators have ready access to physical infrastructure owned or controlled by public sector bodies regardless of its location, with the European Union stepping in to resolve disputes.