The Vice-President of the Government of Catalonia, Laura Vilagrà Pons and other members of the Government today opened the 5G node at Lleida-Alguaire airport, which will help attract new technology companies, and improve services and the outlook for the existing ones. According to the Vice-President, this improvement in connectivity is a response to the Catalan Government’s objective of making technology accessible everywhere. “Catalonia has a complicated landscape and a very broad expanse of land, but this should not prevent anyone from having maximum coverage and service.” She also explained that the Government has used its own and European funds to deploy 8,000 km of fibre optic cable all over Catalonia. “All these initiatives that we have been presenting over the last few months show once again that the Government is clearly committed to reinforcing Catalonia’s strategic position as one of the most important points in the technology sector in southern Europe,” she emphasised. After visiting the facilities and addressing the media, the Vice-President visited the Agrobiotech Park; the first of the points to have a 5G node, which became operational in May this year.

In addition to the node at Alguaire airport, Catalonia will have eight more 5G nodes before the end of the year, as part of the plan of the Secretariat for Telecommunications and Digital Transformation. The roll-out of 5G in Catalonia is a response to a dual objective: first, to make up for the lack of 5G coverage in some areas, and second, to promote economic activity, the ICT sector and research. In addition to Alguaire Airport and the Agrobiotech Park in Lleida, other points where 5G will be rolled out are: the Agròpolis-UPC Park (Viladecans), the REDESSA-TecnoParc building in Reus, the IRTA experimental centre in Mollerussa, and the CoEbreLab - 5G facility in Móra la Nova. There will also be three more points before the end of the year in Santa Pau, at Can Ros railway station and in Olèrdola in order to improve territorial mobile phone coverage.

5G nodes as an element for cohesion

Nodes are 5G antennas that provide coverage for a radius of several kilometres depending on the obstacles around them, and provide more bandwidth for wireless communications, low latency and enhanced capacity for managing users and mobile devices.

The Government of Catalonia’s priority is for nodes located in strategic infrastructures to promote and enhance various business and research sectors that require the features that 5G provides. In addition to boosting the business fabric and contributing to improving the country’s socio-economic environment, 5G coverage promotes equal opportunities all over the country and guarantees citizens’ rights, such as the right to internet access.