Liberty boss: Video is "killer app" for 5G

Fries, along with Etisalat CEO Hatem Dowidar and Telstra CEO Andrew Penn, expressed concern at the capital outlay required to build 5G networks given the industry’s ongoing struggle to increase profits.

The Liberty Global boss said: “Most operators in Europe are feeling a little bit nervous about the capital outlay and uncertain about the business models.”

As the debate at the Mobile World Congress keynote session turned to the search for the “killer app”, Fries said the answer was obvious.

“Video is the killer app. Today, 60% of mobile consumption is video – that will grow fivefold in the next four or five years. Let’s be honest – that is what is driving mobile broadband. People are watching more television, changing viewing habits, there is more embedded video; that is not a complicated app”.

However, Fries said it was vital operators understood…