Ultra-broadband, Ripa: “4.3 billion invested. We need a public-private agreement”

by time news

Rumors of the last few days would like the government ready to change connectivity strategy: no longer a concession model, but an incentive one. According to Corriere Comunicazioni, which first broke the news, the projects will be co-financed by the state for about 70% in areas where the download speed does not reach 300 Mb. Wholesale access must be guaranteed to all operators. A proposal that had already been made by the economist Maurizio Matteo Decina and of which Affaritaliani.it spoke here.

In the meantime, however, it is necessary to understand how to best manage the resources that already exist and that have been put in place by the main subject responsible for the exponential increase of the infrastructure for ultra-broadband: Open Fiber. On the one hand there are those who argue that the work is progressing effectively, on the other hand there are those who think that we could definitely do better. Affaritaliani.it had the opportunity to interview the CEO of the company born from an equal union between Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and Enel.

Doctor Ripa, digital is the second most important “leg” within the PNRR: how is Open Fiber helping Italy to increase its digital equipment?

“The Government with the Italy 2026 Plan wants to ensure that in our country, within 5 years, they are all connected with very high speed connections, using Gigabit technologies also in view of the European targets outlined by the Digital Compass to 2030. Open Fiber is We have already achieved over 12 million real estate units and we are confirmed by far in first place in Italy and third in Europe for extension of the FTTH network after the two former incumbents Telefonica in Spain and Orange in France. of Open Fiber, the country is climbing the European rankings on digital after decades of lack of investment. In rural areas, Italy has gone from 0% coverage in 2015 to 28% in 2020: according to an analysis by McKinsey, we are second only to France both in terms of coverage (28% vs 31%) and growth in the last year in the number of homes covered in FTTH (+ 47% vs + 59%). There is still a lot of work to be done, but the road taken is that to right “.

What investments do you expect for 2022? Will you focus on specific areas or will you continue in a widespread manner?

“Open Fiber has invested over 4.3 billion euros in these 4 years to achieve these objectives and we will invest over 1 billion to complete the project. We will continue extensively to bring ultra-fast connectivity in market areas as well as in those without performing connections. We are convinced that with the collaboration of all the players in the market, public and private, Italy will be able to continue along the virtuous path it has taken for years in this sector and achieve the goals of Italian and European connectivity “.

Of the 2.1 million FTTH customers (Agcom data, first quarter 2021 observatory published a few days ago) 68% are Open Fiber: are you satisfied with the progress of the work and the role you are playing?

“In a period in which the pandemic has made activities such as smart working or Dad central and has increased the demand for connection capacity, citizens are increasingly aware of the need for ultra-fast and reliable connections. It is therefore not surprising the strong increase in activations on the FTTH network, the only real fiber certified by the AGCOM green label. Today the marketing of services on the network created by Open Fiber is open in 185 large and medium-sized cities and over 2300 small municipalities. We are almost two thirds of the total. our plan, which foresees the coverage of 20 million real estate units. We are proud of what we have done so far, but we aim to accelerate further to contribute to a rapid recovery of the country “.

Minister Colao spoke of “technological neutrality” to achieve ultra-fast connection goals for the entire country. Do you believe that FTTH technology remains the best and most reliable even for more complex areas to reach? Could you expand your role to other ways of connecting as well?

“Open Fiber’s goal is to bring ultra-broadband connectivity to as many people as possible. We have chosen FTTH optical fiber since our foundation because it is the most advanced technology in circulation and the most sustainable. Copper is now an obsolete technology. , no longer able to support the innovative services that are gradually developed. Where it is not possible to lay optical fiber, we bring connectivity with FWA (mixed fiber-radio): this is the case in the most remote areas or with particularly low population density of the white areas and also the so-called very white areas, ie about 180 municipalities completely without Internet connection, where Open Fiber is intervening with its own resources. We are also experimenting with the satellite connection: in this case, not even the sky is a limit “.

In the recent conference organized by Formiche, he declared that fiber “plays a role of democracy and unity”: can you explain us better how to reduce the digital divide, especially with a view to systematic smart working and a possible Dad?

“Thanks to the optical fiber, even in small towns it is possible to navigate at the same connection speed as in Rome or Milan. A level playing field is thus created, a condition of equal opportunity for smaller towns with multiple effects: from the repopulation of internal areas to the development of territorial entrepreneurial realities, from the increase in the attractiveness of places rich in natural, historical and cultural beauties but with inadequate services for tourism or economic activities, to the reduction of public costs thanks to the use of remote services. Covid-19 has irreversibly accelerated the transition to the digital age. As soon as we return to classroom lessons – we hope as soon as possible – the use of electronic devices and integrative forms of Dad will remain, while the smart working, which had already been started in several companies before the pandemic, is a reality that will be increasingly expanding. hearing, working and staying in touch with loved ones is necessary to have an ultra-fast, stable and reliable connection “.

How can digital help the other great driver of the NRP, namely sustainability?

“Sustainability and digital are two inseparable elements of the NRP: the expansion of infrastructures and digital services must be carried out with sustainable techniques and methods and at the same time returns sustainable elements: I am thinking of less land consumption, energy savings, to the redevelopment of internal areas. Today sustainability for companies is no longer just a virtuous practice, but a necessity. It is a founding element of Open Fiber, in its threefold environmental, economic and social meaning. This is why we have recently published the our first Sustainability Report, a document that describes an approach to business characterized by attention to the environment and the new needs of the community, the enhancement of people, the ethical conduct of activities and the link with the territories in which we operate. it has been certified by an auditing firm and illustrates how value can be created internally and externally of the company through sustainability “.

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