The project by TIM, Fastweb and Huawei for the development of the new mobile networks in Bari and Matera enters into the operative stage as the Ministry of Economic Development (Mise) has awarded the the 5G testing on 3,6 – 3,8 GHz spectrum frequencies in the two cities, as defined in the call for tenders.
The three companies submitted a joint plan as lead partners in coordination with 52 international, national and local bodies – including university centres of excellence, leading ICT companies and businesses operating in vertical markets with a strong economic and social impact – with the aim of achieving several challenging targets, even in advance of the EU Commission’s 5G Action Plan.
The project provides for the activation of the first 5G use scenarios as early as June 2018, to reach 75 percent 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 testing by TIM, Fastweb and Huawei aims to establish an open digital platform capable of taking up the initiatives of other bodies (public administrations, technological and industrial partners) to develop services and applications supported by the 5G network which enrich the digital ecosystem of the cities of Matera and Bari, seizing on the strategic development priorities and transforming them into a laboratory of digital innovation.
The proposed areas of intervention relate to the most innovative frontiers of digital life over the coming years: smart city, public safety, environmental monitoring, industry 4.0, 5G healthcare, as well as media education and virtual reality, automotive, mobility and road safety; moreover, to further enhance the specific features of the local areas, the focus will be on logistics, culture, tourism and smart agriculture.
As part of the project, 5G technology – which frequencies will be made available in a short time – will be tested in Bari to create one of the first 4.0 ports in Italy, improving its security, access control and logistics by using IoT solutions coupled with digital automation, which are important steps specifically for cloud robotics and intelligent transportation systems. In Matera, the 2019 European capital of culture, the frontiers of 3D virtualisation and reconstruction of archaeological sites and museums will be explored, with the aim of producing actual virtual geo-museums.
The field of smart agriculture, finally, will see the testing of applications to develop what is known as “precision” agriculture, in which 5G will support sophisticated monitoring systems and the use of automated vehicles equipped with specific integrated cutting-edge solutions.
This initiative will allow TIM, Fastweb and Huawei, together with all the partners of excellence and government bodies involved, to make a concrete contribution to developing the demand for innovative services, in accordance with national and European guidelines.
The project will allow a real laboratory of next generation mobile technology to be created in the field, exploiting its potential to speed up the development of innovative services needed to relaunch Italy’s economy thanks to the strong boost provided by the Internet of Things.
The development of 5G will in fact involve the radical digital transformation of the regions involved which, at the end of the testing, will continue to benefit from the technological assets and expertise developed during the trial, according to the tender specifications.
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