Rome, 13 January 2022
Through its subsidiary RFI (Rete Ferroviaria Italiana), the Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane Group and the TIM Group have signed an agreement that foresees the upgrading of the 4G mobile coverage systems for tunnels along the Italian High Speed lines stretching from Turin to Naples and from Bologna to Venice. The enhancement will also concern the coverage of other TLC Operators, including WINDTRE. Furthermore, as part of the initiatives related to the PNRR (Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan), feasibility studies concerning the possible use of 5G technologies are envisaged. The objective is to achieve increasingly-reliable connectivity aboard high-speed trains.
Indeed, the planned operations will allow passengers to take advantage of a stable and high-quality connection even in the most unfavourable areas, such as in railway tunnels, both through the Wi-Fi service on board the train and through the direct coverage of the TLC Operators participating in the project.
As early as 2022, work will commence to upgrade the systems in the tunnels, along the high-speed lines between Turin, Milan, Bologna and Florence, to then continue in 2023 from Florence to Naples and from Bologna to Venice. The project foresees an investment of approximately 12 million euro, to be split amongst RFI, the FS Group company managing the national railway infrastructure, and the TLC Operators involved.
This agreement represents a first concrete step to position voice and data connectivity along Italian railway lines at international levels of excellence – an initiative that sees an active role played by the Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane Group and the main national TLC Operators, paying due attention to both business and private travellers’ digital needs, whilst operating in line with the development initiatives for the country envisaged by the PNRR.