CEF – 5G large scale pilots – 2025

Objective

To deploy large-scale 5G SA infrastructures that integrate connectivity and edge cloud capacities along the 3C Network value chain.

Priorities

• Priority 1: To stimulate a wider and faster deployment and take-up of 5G across Europe, while providing the foundation for developing ‘lead markets’ for 5G and edge cloud systems
• Priority 2: To demonstrate the benefits gained in specific vertical applications, following the evolution from current electronic communications networks towards virtualised and cloud-native network functions and distributed telco edge cloud, opening new opportunities to Europe’s key industries
• Priority 3: To leverage 5G infrastructures delivering leading-edge connectivity characteristics e.g.: symmetric gigabit performance, high-user-density, ubiquitous coverage (e.g. to connect IoT devices), low latency and very high reliability
• Priority 4: To encourage large-scale pilots to cover multiple use cases, cross-sector synergies between multiple use cases are expected to be enabled by 5G SA, supporting local smart communities and connecting multiple sites distributed across multiple countries and regions
• Priority 5: To design large-scale T− 5G SA pilots in a way that, with adaptations due to possible different requirements, they can be replicated across Europe

Among financed actions

• Deployment of passive network elements including civil works, e.g., ducts, dark fibre, 5G radio stations, towers, masts and/or pylons
• Deployment and installation of active network elements, e.g., antennae, storage and computing capabilities such as network controllers, routers, switches, edge MEC/node etc.
• Deployment and installation of specific tracks-ide devices (e.g., road, rail) for CAM use cases, such as sensors, cameras etc. for traffic monitoring purposes, including connected road-side units
• Studies for preparatory works to be deployed as part of proposed works within the same application, such as network planning

Eligibility

• Be a legal person
• Be a public or private entity
• Be established in one of the eligible countries:
  • EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories)
  • Non-EU states: listed EEA countries and countries associated to the CEF Programme (Click here)
• A consortium composed of
  • at least 2 entities, established in at least 2 different EU Member States or associated countries to the programme (see details on the call document) must be constituted (CEF-DIG-2024-5GLSP-CORRIDORS-WORKS)
  • at least 2 entities which complies different conditions (see details on the call document) must be constituted (CEF-DIG-2024-5GLSP-SMARTCOM-WORKS)

Additional information

• Initial duration of the action: 36 months
• Contact: HADEA-HP-CALLS@ec.europa.eu

Useful

• Guidelines: Click here
• Other call documents: Click here
• Executive Agency website: Click here
• More information: Click here

• Total budget of the call: 105 million euro
• Total budget per topic:
  • CEF-DIG-2024-5GLSP-CORRIDORS-WORKS: 52.500.000 euro
  • CEF-DIG-2024-5GLSP-SMARTCOM-WORKS: 52.500.000 euro
• Amount of the grant: between 10 million euro and 20 million euro
• Funding rate:
  • CEF-DIG-2024-5GLSP-CORRIDORS-WORKS: between 30% and 70% of the total eligible costs
  • CEF-DIG-2024-5GLSP-SMARTCOM-WORKS: up to 75% of the total eligible costs