Vittorio Colao said that the industry needed to show that 5G was a positive force that would improve services and create jobs

Europe risks falling behind Asia and North America in a worldwide race to deploy next-generation 5G mobile technology, Vodafone claimed today.

Speaking in Barcelona on the opening day of World Mobile Congress 2018, Vittorio Colao, its chief executive, said that Europe had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the technology, which will enable millions of connected devices to be controlled via the internet.

He claimed that pushing through 5G services could greatly boost Europe’s economy and jobs markets. He said that European policymakers had failed to recognise this and were dragging their heels in creating the right framework for a mass roll-out.

“I think we have an amazing opportunity in Europe,” Mr Colao said. “Europe is a small territory with a lot of