The government and China-based telecommunications giant Huawei have signed a memorandum of understanding which will see the trial of 5G technology introduced to Maltese businesses and citizens.

Trials could start in October.

Speaking at a signing event at Meridiana Wine Estate in Ta Qali, Parliamentary Secretary for Silvio Schembri said that this step forward will enhance the country’s digital environment and will allow consumers and businesses to be more competitive on a European level.

“5G is becoming a reality,” he said.

Schembri also announced that Huawei will now be offering training programs for ICT students in Malta.

A strategic agreement was initially signed between the government and Huawei in 2015, with the company setting up a regional office at Smart City. It was a small operation, with just a handful of staff being deployed here.

In February, Reuters reported how Huawei had begun forging closer commercial ties with big telecom operators across Europe and Asia, putting the company in prime position to lead the global race for next-generation 5G networks.

5G networks will rely on denser arrays of small antennas and the cloud to offer data speeds up to 50 or 100 times faster than current 4G networks and serve as critical infrastructure for a range of industries.

Huawei has already signed similar MoUs with other countries around the globe. CEO Thomas Miao said Malta’s 5G program will be in line with other major countries.

Photos James Caruana