The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, through the State Secretariat for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructures, has published the provisional resolution of the call for the UNICO 5G Backhaul Networks program, which will accelerate the deployment of this technology in rural areas of Andalusia along with the UNICO Active 5G Networks program, whose basic order was approved on June 26 after the approval of the program by the European Commission.
These two UNICO programs, financed with European Next Generation EU funds within the framework of the Recovery Plan and aligned with the objectives of the Spain Digital 2026 agenda, represent an investment of 120 million euros for the deployment of 5G in municipalities of less than 10,000 inhabitants in the community.
At the end of the evaluation process of the 255 applications submitted by 11 operators to cover the 50 provinces, it has been provisionally decided to grant aid amounting to 448.8 million euros to the projects submitted by eight of them to provide backhaul connection by means of optical fiber – including active and passive elements – to sites (towers) of the public mobile telephone networks that do not have such connection in municipalities of less than 5,000 inhabitants.
The grants provisionally granted to the Andalusian provinces, amounting to 48.3 million euros, contribute to the objective of deploying the necessary capacities to provide services and applications based on 5G technology in rural areas. These actions promote territorial cohesion, avoid the formation of a digital divide in the deployment of 5G and allow us to face the demographic challenge, promoting new economic activities and opportunities to all corners.
With the subsidies, the operators will be able to carry out investments and expenses associated with the development of projects for the deployment of fiber to the towers from infrastructure and civil works to equipment and materials.
Next Call Active
After the provisional resolution of UNICO Redes 5G Backhaul and the publication of the bases that regulate the UNICO 5G Activa program, the Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure has announced the proposal of distribution of the aid for the provision of active equipment and infrastructure that facilitates the provision of 5G services in localities of less than 10,000 inhabitants. For Andalusia, it is proposed to allocate resources of up to 72.5 million euros.
About the program UNICO Redes 5G
The Digital Infrastructure for Cohesion Universalization Program (UNICO) serves as a framework for different calls that facilitate the universalization of ultra-fast broadband access and 5G extension.
Under the umbrella of UNICO Redes 5G are those aids intended to boost the deployment of this technology, as well as the services and applications available for 5G in municipalities of less than 10,000 inhabitants.
