Oxana Gisca

Local 5G/6G mobile communication networks can be deployed by different stakeholders to serve a variety of user groups with different needs. The legal framework influencing local 5G/6G network deployments and operations, the EU Digital Legal Framework, has been recently developed and adopted by the EU, influencing network deployments, and impacting new stakeholders’ ability to become accepted and legitimate members of the mobile ecosystem. This chapter identifies and discusses relevant EU legal acts and presents the EU legal initiatives in the context of local mobile communication networks. It reviews previous research from the legitimacy challenge perspective and adds to a better understanding of how regulation currently delimits the emerging business models of the local 5G/6G networks. The chapter concludes by discussing the implications of the analysis for regulators and firms deploying local 5G/6G networks.

This chapter discusses the research, managerial, and policymaking-related future opportunities and implications that stem from the discussions presented in the preceding chapters. With a focus on overarching themes that concern everyone, the paper presents research questions to direct future research, advises managers in themes that may become of increasing interest in future 5G and 6G, and summarizes key concerns for policymaking that should be considered to reach a global 6G and beyond world.