5G, broadband and single network: few promises from parties to make up for delays

How do parties intend to tackle the future of telecommunications? Alone Democratic Party, Lega, + Europe the Action-Italy ticket alive propose concrete recipes in view of the elections, while the People’s Union and Italexit overlook the issue:

1. Democratic party
2. League
3. Live action-Italy
4. + Europe
5. The other positions on the right
6. The other positions on the left
7. Single network and Tim

Those who do private 5G

There are 55 trials of private fifth generation mobile networks in Europe. Especially in Germany and in the industrial field. The advantages for companies, who dream of an 8 billion business

The recipe of the party led by Enrico Letta hinges on a National Fund for the Right to Digital Connection, where to converge 1.2 billion in savings from one of the spending chapters of mission 1 of the NRP (the one dedicated to digital), although it is not clear how, and the revenues “of a new tender on 5G frequencies“, Auctioning off the 3.8-4.2 gigahertz (GHz) and possibly the 60 megahertz (MHz) bands of the 3.6-3.8 GHz band of Defense in licensed sharing. In the past, these competitions have been very profitable for the state coffers. In 2018, the raises for 5G auctions totaled 6.5 billion.

The funds raised would be used to “encourage the passage of households to ultra-broadband networks (covering one-off fixed costs of migration / activation of new line)“,”finance the vertical wiring of buildings in optical fiber and the preparation of equipment for “intelligent buildings” and the Internet of things“, Also for energy saving systems; buy a computer for all students middle and high schools, technical colleges and universities with medium or low income. The latter proposal, however, without a clear indication of the number of potential beneficiaries, risks remaining on paper. The Democratic Party also proposes a “a platform for the conversion of companies in crisis and training of workers to support the development of fiber infrastructures financed by the NRP“.

Il Carroccio announces the “switch off from copper by the year 2030“. Nothing exceptional, given that it is the aim of the European Union. More than anything else, the League gets its hands on: its Minister of Economic Development, Giancarlo Giorgetti, in recent months had branded as the goal of cabling Italy in fiber by 2026 is illusory. The League proposes a “digital federalism“, Entrusting presidents of Regions and autonomous provinces to”connectivity commissioner for the creation of the single network“(Which also makes clear the position on the networks of Open Fiber and Tim) and the appointment of a Mister Antenna (but why not Miss?), which is one “Third figure“, Appointed by local authorities,”that identifies the positioning and installation of technological infrastructures so as not to leave the choice of sites to companies alone and simplify the authorization process“. The League could propose a test in Veneto, the region where it governs and where the opposition to 5G antennas, in many municipalities led by the Carroccio, has been heavy.

The ticket between Carlo Calenda and Matteo Renzi is the only one to mention un “adjustment“Of the electromagnetic emission thresholds to European parameters, to be more competitive. The Italian limits are well below the warning threshold. The two parties insist on coverage with fiber up to home, 5G and incentives for smart buildings“with long-term tax levers, such as discounts in inheritance taxes and in the calculation of the surplus value in the event of resale“.

Emma Bonino’s party proposes to rewrite the tenders for fiber networks and 5G“expanding the number of operators allowed to install systems (for example infrastructure managers in the area such as motorway or railway operators) and facilitating cooperation agreements with managers between infrastructure and service operators“. In the case of market failure areas, the idea is to launch tenders to allocate incentives to “to companies subject to the supervision of a regulatory Authority “which could be the same guarantor of communications.

The map of Italian municipalities that block 5G

The program of the right-wing alliance (Brothers of Italy, Forza Italia, Lega and Noi moderati) is limited to mentioning “strengthening and development of digital infrastructures and extension of the ultra-broadband throughout Italy” and the “Defense of national strategic infrastructures”In reference to the match on Tim and the spin-off of the network.

The 5 Star Movementwhich has always been pro-digital, says no more than a simple assumption: “National coverage with ultra-broadband“. Little, considering that the leader Giuseppe Conte, as prime minister, has passed the rule to block the municipalities no 5G. Also Possible by Giuseppe Civati ​​merely reiterates that it is “it is necessary to rapidly complete the coverage of the connection network that bridges the digital divide between North and South and peripheral and central areas“.

The fall of the government led by Mario Draghi weighs on project of a single networkin which the infrastructures of Timaccording to the spin-off plan of the managing director Pietro Labriola, and those of Open Fiber. When Flavio Cattaneo was at the helm of the former state monopolist, intending to develop a twin network to that of the then Enel Open Fiber after losing the Infratel tenders, the government, in the person of the Minister of Economic Development Carlo Calenda, he was piqued by the useless duplication.