Public administrations, technology and innovation converge at the 5G Forum in Seville

• The ninth edition reinforces its role as a strategic meeting point for the digital ecosystem, promoting effective collaboration between public administrations, research centres and technology companies.
• The Cartuja Auditorium – managed by Yventu – at Sevilla TechPark will host the two in-person sessions on Tuesday 12 and Wednesday 13 May, whilst the two virtual sessions will take place on Thursday 14 and Friday 15 May.

Against a backdrop marked by the acceleration of digital transformation and the consolidation of connectivity as critical infrastructure, public administrations, research centres and technology companies are strengthening their coordination to drive the development of 5G in Spain. Collaboration between these stakeholders has become a key element in advancing spectrum planning, network deployment and the generation of real-world use cases that enable the potential of 5G to be transferred to the productive sector and society as a whole.

Against this backdrop, Seville will host the ninth edition of the 5G Forum, “Where technology leaders meet”, which will take place from 12 to 15 May. The event, now firmly established as one of the sector’s leading gatherings in Europe, will combine two in-person sessions on 12 and 13 May at the Cartuja Auditorium —managed by Yventu— in Sevilla TechPark, with two further virtual sessions on 14 and 15 May. This forum is positioned as a strategic platform for analysing the present and future of connectivity, bringing together institutional initiatives, technological advances and projects that are shaping the digital roadmap in Spain and Europe.

The 5G landscape in Spain: spectrum, deployment and digital cohesion

The 5G Forum 2026 will feature Julia Criado, Deputy Director General for Planning and Management of the Radio Spectrum at SETELECO, who will address the current state of the “5G map” in Spain. Her presentation will delve into the evolution of network deployment, the efficient use of radio spectrum and the role of regulation in accelerating connectivity.

In this context, she will analyse progress within the framework of the RSPG (Radio Spectrum Policy Group) and the European harmonisation of key bands for mobile broadband, as well as its impact on the availability of 5G services in both urban and rural areas. Furthermore, the focus will be on strategic initiatives such as the Digital Decade 2030 and the contribution of 5G to European technological autonomy, highlighting its role as an enabling infrastructure for new production models and territorial cohesion.

From 5G to 6G: research, intelligence and new use cases

The University of Málaga will be represented by Javier Rivas, Assistant Professor, who will offer an advanced perspective on the evolution towards 6G, a technology already in the research phase that will shape the next digital decade.

During his presentation, European projects such as 6G-PATH and 6G-VERSUS will be showcased, exploring new capabilities such as ultra-reliable communications, smart networks and the native integration of artificial intelligence. Notable use cases include precision agriculture, mass sensorisation and the convergence of AI and IoT, shaping a new paradigm of cognitive connectivity.

5G and territorial balance: connectivity for rural areas

The Regional Government of Extremadura will take part in a round table discussion focusing on the 5G projects being developed in the region, where the role of this technology as a tool for territorial balance will be analysed. The debate will address how 5G is facilitating access to digital services in rural areas, driving sectors such as smart agriculture, efficient land management and the improvement of public services.

Connectivity is thus presented as a key element in bridging the digital divide, retaining the population and generating new economic opportunities in non-urban areas.

With strong institutional participation, the 5G Forum reaffirms its role as a leading platform for knowledge generation, public-private collaboration and the acceleration of innovative 5G-based projects.

The event in Seville not only demonstrates the consolidation of the forum, but also the maturity of an ecosystem moving towards a model in which connectivity ceases to be a mere technological enabler and becomes a critical infrastructure, essential for the competitiveness, resilience and sustainable development of the economy.

All the conferences from the 5G Forum will be available to view on demand via The Observatory, the digital platform of Medina Media Events, where each conferencecan be accessed free of charge throughout the year.

The ninth edition of the 5G Forum is organised by Medina Media Events and is supported by Orange, Telefónica, Vodafone, Huawei, Netmetrix, the Regional Government of Castile and León, Ayscom, Wavecontrol/Viavi, Minsait by Indra Group, Teltronic, Axión, Gradiant, Mavenir, HPE, Manage Engine, Asteo, the University of Málaga, Nokia, Italtel, Gsertel, Neutroon, Templus, IplusF, Hispasat, Rohde & Schwarz, Circet, Sapec, Digital Innovation Hub Industry 4.0 / ITCL, Boldyn, Ethon Shield, Evolvers, Grupo Ximenez and Secmotic.