Telecom Italia is ramping up its fiber optic network rollout, through a deal to equip 70 exchanges in the country’s Emilia-Romagna region.
The operator has signed a new agreement with the regional government and its infrastructure division Lepida to update the exchanges, in a move the trio claims bridges a digital divide in the area. The three year deal covers 120,000 people in the region, with coverage set to be achieved through access to existing lines, and the laying of new fiber optic cable.
Any new deployments will be funded by the regional government, Italy’s Ministry of Economic Development, and local authorities. Oscar Cicchetti, director of strategy at Telecom Italia, says the agreement highlights the importance of local government in bridging coverage gaps. “This represents the first goal of the European Digital Agenda, bringing broadband networks to the whole territory to meet the needs of citizens,” he notes.
Alfredo Peri, regional commissioner for Tangible and Intangible Infrastructure, says the deal is “a vital factor for the competitiveness and socio-economic development of the region,” by laying the groundwork for high-speed broadband deployment based on “a synergy between the public and private sectors.”