Strong boost in Campania for the programme to build a new generation fibre optic network in order to provide ultrabroadband and achieve the objectives of the European Digital Agenda.
The progress made on the plan was today presented by Giuseppe Recchi, Chairman of Telecom Italia, Stefano Caldoro, Chairman of Campania Regional Council, Guido Trombetti, Deputy Chairman of Campania Regional Council and by Gaetano Manfredi, Rector of Federico II University, during the conference entitled “La Campania che ricerca e innova” [Campania: research and innovation].
Telecom Italia was awarded the tender issued by the Ministry for Economic Development through Infratel Italia, the company of the Invitalia Group appointed to implement the national Broadband Plan and the strategic Ultrabroadband Project and approved by the European Commission. The programme to obtain grant funding in order to create new passive optic infrastructures that will enable NGAN networks in 119 new municipalities involves a total investment of over 175 million euros broken down as follows: public funding of 118 million euros from the ERDF and 57 million euros from Telecom Italia.
This important infrastructural work, along with the development plan of Telecom Italia's NGAN (Next Generation Access Network), will cover 67% of the region, making Campania one of the most advanced regions in Italy in terms of new generation technological solutions.
"The new Telecom Italia industrial plan forecasts investments in our country from 2015-17 totalling 10 billion euros, half of which will go to innovative technologies alone - declared Giuseppe Recchi, Chairman of Telecom Italia - The plan is therefore firmly focused on satisfying the country's growing demand for ultrabroadband, a commitment that is in line with the government's programme and the European Digital Agenda objectives. Major infrastructural works require fast execution and Telecom Italia has the opportunity to be the ones that make them possible, as contributing to the development and transformation of the country is our mission. Along with Campania, Telecom Italia has also been awarded the tenders for the development of the ultrabroadband infrastructures in Puglia, Basilicata, Sicily and Calabria, in addition to the central regions of Lazio and Molise. Around 770 million euros will be invested in these regions to supply the ultrabroadband services at speeds of between 30 and 100 Megabit per second. Telecom Italia will be contributing with more than 400 million in passive infrastructures and electronics; the remainder will be covered with public investments. Thanks to these projects – Mr Recchi continued – we will be bringing ultrabroadband services to 10 million Italians, 43% of the population of these regions, connecting 4.6 million properties. If we then add the interventions carried out without public contributions, we reach a total of 15.7 million Italians, 68% of the population of the regions considered. These numbers speak for themselves, demonstrating and allowing us to understand the extent of the operative efforts being made by Telecom Italia".
"Campania was the first region to launch the tender for the National Ultrabroadband Strategic Plan, in line with the provisions of the European Union and bringing forward the terms for implementation of the national intervention. This region is cutting-edge in terms of technological innovation – Stefano Caldoro declared, Chairman of Campania Regional Council. –Thanks to the new generation optic fibre network, innovative services can be established in the public sector (health, schools and public administration), as well as in the private sector, improving the scientific production and innovation processes. Moreover, all offices of the public administration and all public hospitals and schools in the municipalities in which the work was carried out will be connected to the network at speeds of up to 100 Megabit per second.
We are currently developing digital motorways on which services will travel. Some of these will be activated by the market, but we need to encourage this development and implementation of the Digital Agenda to re-design the relationship between the Public Administration and citizens and businesses. The Public Administration should increasingly encourage the supply of services to users, namely citizens and businesses, through an IT platform. We therefore need to continue along this route, together, completing ultrabroadband cover and activating the digital identity and open data".
"The new network infrastructures represent the motorways along which the services for the public administration, businesses and citizens must travel – declared Guido Trombetti, Deputy Chairman of Campania Regional Council. –These networks are, therefore, the basic elements by which to guarantee achievement of the Digital Agenda objectives. The Campania Region is strongly driving development of such infrastructures, with a number of carefully-focused actions implemented on the territory aiming on the one hand to eliminate the digital divide and guarantee everyone access to broadband and, on the other, to carry out work to implement the access network, the real limit to the development of ultrabroadband services."
From the start of the works in mid-November up until now, Telecom Italia has already completed 60% of the works set out in the project, with over 3,600 street cabinets connected to optic fibre.
By the end of 2015, the project envisages coverage of 119 municipalities, for approximately 3 million inhabitants, with more than 6 thousand kilometres of optic fibre. In all the areas covered the municipalities involved will be able to use an ultrabroadband infrastructure that will allow for connections at speeds of 30 to 100 Megabits per second, thus accelerating access to innovative digital services for citizens, businesses and local governments.
To achieve this result, Telecom Italia will be upgrading 173 exchanges, which will allow approximately 1 million buildings to be enabled to 30 Megabits per second. Additionally, more than 166 thousand buildings – Including 403 central and local government buildings and 183 armed forces buildings as well as over 562 schools and school system offices and around 275 hospitals and health facilities – will be enabled to 100 Megabits per second.
Besides this project co-funded by the Region, Telecom Italia has already built new generation infrastructures in Campania, independently and with its own investments, in Benevento, Caserta, Casoria, Giugliano in Campania, Napoli, Pozzuoli, Salerno and Torre Del Greco. Confirming the advanced level of the infrastructure, six of these cities (Benevento, Casoria, Giugliano in Campania, Napoli, Salerno and Torre Del Greco) are already offering ultrabroadband services to families and businesses, while new fibre optic network is now being laid in Avellino.
Naples, 27 March 2015
