Latest 5G trials will be carried out by TIM and Fastweb with the support of Huawei
Italian operators TIM and Fastweb, together with Chinese vendor Huawei, said the Ministry of Economic Development (MISE) has awarded spectrum in the 3.6-3.8 GHz frequencies to trial 5G technologies in the cities of Bari and Matera.
The three companies submitted a joint plan as lead partners in coordination with 52 international, national and local bodies–including university centers, leading ICT companies and businesses operating in vertical markets.
The connectivity project stipulates the activation of the first 5G use scenarios as early as June 2018, to reach 75% 5G coverage of the area by the end of the same year, and full coverage of the two cities by the end of 2019.
The 5G test by TIM, Fastweb and Huawei aims to establish an open digital platform capable of taking up the initiatives of other bodies including public administrations, technological and industrial partners to develop services and applications supported by the 5G technologies.
Some areas to be covered by the 5G initiative in the coming years include smart city, public safety, environmental monitoring, industry 4.0, 5G healthcare, as well as media education and virtual reality, automotive, mobility and road safety.
As part of the project, 5G technology will be tested in Bari to create one of the first Industry 4.0 ports in Italy, improving its security, access control and logistics by using IoT solutions coupled with digital automation.
Last week, Fastweb signed an agreement with the Rome city council to begin trials of 5G and future Wi-Fi technologies in 2018. The main goal of the agreement is to build an IoT and smart city-focused network in parts of Rome by 2020. Under the terms of the deal, Fastweb will develop a platform to support services and applications in the areas of intelligent mobility, remote sensing, industry 4.0, tourism and video surveillance.
Earlier this year, Telecom Italia signed a deal with the Municipality of Turin for the deployment of pre-standard technologies in the city. The telco said Turin will become the first Italian city and one of the first in Europe to have a next-generation mobile network.
Last week Fastweb signed an agreement with the Rome City Council to begin trials of 5G and future Wi-Fi technologies in 2018.
This agreement also focuses on IoT and smart city application for parts of Rome in the 2020 timeframe. Under the terms of the deal, Fastweb will develop a platform to support services and applications in the areas of intelligent mobility, remote sensing, industry 4.0, tourism and video surveillance.
And while not specifically Italy, Telecom Italia is planning the first nationwide 5G network to cover all 24-square-miles of microstate San Marino, which is completely surrounded by Italy. Telecom Italia has launched the “operational phase” that the company says will lead to nationwide coverage.
Telecom Italia plans to start by deploying 4×4 MIMO, multi-channel carrier aggregation, advanced modulation and a cloud-based architecture. That will be complemented by a fiber-fed small cell deployment across the country. According to Telecom Italia, “The particular geographical shape of this territory, and the distribution of its industries, favor the use and development of innovative technologies.”
