PERUGIA (ITALPRESS) – This morning at the POST – Science Museum of Perugia, with the presence of Tommaso Bori, Vice President of the Umbria Region, Perugia City Councilor Andrea Stafisso, Open Fiber CEO Giuseppe Gola, and the Director of the Infrastructure and Digital Services Division of Infratel Italia, Luigi Cudia, the conclusion of the Ultra Broadband Plan in Umbria was announced. This plan, promoted by MIMIT and managed by Infratel Italia, aims to establish ultra-broadband infrastructure in over 6,000 Italian municipalities in white areas, such as villages and small towns lacking ultra-fast connectivity. The infrastructure, which remains state-owned, is built and managed under concession by Open Fiber, which won the public tenders issued by Infratel. Umbria is one of the first regions in Italy to complete the infrastructure development for the white areas.
With the new infrastructure capable of reaching speeds of up to 10 Gigabits per second, numerous benefits will arise for citizens, businesses, and public administration: telemedicine, smart working, territory monitoring, public lighting management, and much more. Additionally, Open Fiber’s optical fiber ensures energy savings (consuming over 60% less energy compared to copper networks) and promotes environmental, economic, and social sustainability.
In the 77 municipalities of the BUL plan in Umbria, Open Fiber has constructed over 2,100 km of optical fiber, providing connectivity to a total of approximately 117,000 housing units and over 336 public administration locations (schools, hospitals, clinics, municipal offices, libraries, police stations).
“Today’s accomplishment is part of a broader strategy for ultra-broadband that will elevate Umbria to some of the best levels of connectivity in Europe,” said Tommaso Bori, Vice President of the Umbria Region. “The achievement of today regarding the availability of ultra-broadband infrastructure paves the way for the digital transition that this administration has prioritized, making essential services accessible to citizens and businesses, which can trigger virtuous processes of growth and economic development for the community. The Umbria Region has funded a project within the National Ultra-Broadband Plan to create a new public-owned infrastructure aiming to reduce the digital divide by providing ultra-broadband connectivity services in the so-called ‘white areas’ of the Region. This project will help address social and geographical inequalities caused by the lack of private investment from businesses that have little incentive to invest in certain locations and villages. Conversely, this infrastructure will ensure greater social and territorial cohesion, thus closing the initial infrastructural gap.”
“We are pleased to host an event that confirms that the Umbria Region and Open Fiber have completed the BUL plan for the ultra-broadband cabling of Umbrian municipalities and our municipal territory for the white areas,” emphasized Andrea Stafisso, City Councilor of Perugia. “This is an important step for the processes of digitalization and the spread of connectivity. The POST, which hosts us today, is indeed an important symbolic place that represents the connection between innovation and the city of Perugia and reminds us that technologies are enabling factors for economic and social development and for ecological transition, which is of great relevance to increase the attractiveness of our territory and to encourage the establishment of new ventures and businesses, including those run by young people.”
According to Giuseppe Gola, CEO of Open Fiber, “The BUL Plan was created to provide citizens in small municipalities with the same connectivity opportunities that inhabitants of large Italian cities enjoy. Therefore, the infrastructure that Open Fiber has developed is essential for bridging the digital divide in a region that has always been attentive to innovation. Now the goal is to ensure that the new FTTH network is utilized as much as possible, to enhance citizens’ lives, support business development, and prevent the depopulation of small villages, which are a resource for this country.”
Pietro Piccinetti, CEO of Infratel Italia, added: “The closure of the BUL Plan in Umbria represents a significant milestone for the country’s digitalization. Thanks to the optical fiber infrastructure established, citizens, businesses, and public administrations can now rely on ultra-fast connectivity, which is fundamental for innovation and the competitiveness of the territory. This achievement results from the collaboration among institutions and sector operators, with the common objective of reducing the digital divide and ensuring equal access to digital services in all areas of the country, including the more peripheral ones. Infratel Italia will continue to work so that ultra-broadband becomes an increasingly central element for sustainable development and economic growth in our country. Connectivity promotes democracy and ensures freedom.”
In addition to small villages and the most isolated municipalities targeted by the BUL plan, Open Fiber has its proprietary FTTH network in Perugia, Terni, and Foligno, with a private investment of 63 million euros and a total of 132,000 connected homes.
– photo press office Open Fiber –
(ITALPRESS).
