VIDEO INTERVIEW: Hector Marin, Qualcomm’s business development director for LatAm North, believes the regulatory requirement for 5G will go beyond networks and spectrum.

Traditional rules for mobile networks focus on infrastructure and radio frequencies but the nature of 5G raises new questions for regulators, and Marin admits it’s “difficult to say” what framework will be needed.

“Drones, for instance. What will be regulation for drones? We are also talking about the automotive sector. What about connectivity on traffic lights with cars? So it’s not just regulation of the transmission network, for instance frequency bands, but also applications and the type of the information that is going to be transmitted,” he said.

Moreover, 5G will bring a new level of interconnectivity not previously seen in users’ homes and workplaces, raising new considerations about privacy and security. In many cases, there is no precedent for regulation, with policies having to be created from scratch.

Also, as Marin points out, rule-making for 5G will be a dynamic process. “A lot of regulation will not be an easy proposal where you can say ‘come on, here is the handbook, as long as we comply with this we are done’.”

Watch the full video here.