10 April 2024 | Rome, Italy

Works on the #Roma5G project have begun thanks to the activation of the first public Wi-Fi area in Piazza del Campidoglio. The opening ceremony was attended by Mayor Roberto Gualtieri and Antonino Ruggiero, CEO of Boldyn Networks Italia.

Four Access Points have been installed in the historic square, two on Palazzo Nuovo and two on Palazzo dei Conservatori, ensuring coverage over the whole area. The Access Points are served by new fibre running in both buildings, providing high performance to serve the entire Campidoglio.

The new state-of-the-art, small-sized Access Points provide an unnoticeable visible impact in such a high-profile venue, as they are hardly visible to guests and tourists. New 5G connected video cameras are also planned to be installed soon, enabling an 'upgraded' appearance, also in terms of visual impact, replacing the previous installations.

The #Roma5G project involves rolling out a high-tech enabling infrastructure that will bring free Wi-Fi to 100 squares across the city; the first 65 squares will be equipped by the Jubilee, starting in the next few days from Piazzale della Stazione Tiburtina, as well as 83 metro stations. One thousand wi-fi hot-spots will be progressively deployed, along with 2,000 5G Small Cells for mobile operators and over 2,000 sensors and IoT modules aimed at developing Smart City solutions. Finally, 2,000 high-definition 5G cameras will offer greater security to citizens.

The project is quickly moving forward: the Detailed Operational Plan and timetable were set out and approved by the Technical Board that was purposely created in January; the executive design is well underway: it is finished as far as the Wi-Fi in the squares is concerned, and it is being completed for Metro stations and other parts.

By June, works on the Metro will begin, with building work already scheduled for next week. By the end of 2024, Wi-Fi will be available in the main 30 squares of the Rome Municipality and in 9 metro stations of Line A, which will serve the Jubilee route.

"I would like to thank Boldyn Networks and all the stakeholders involved in the project, namely Atac and Acea, the Superintendency of State, the Capitoline Superintendency, and the Roma Capitale Police, who are all supporting the development of this ambitious project. We are building a fast, digital, safe, and sustainable city, at the forefront of major European capitals and on a par with few other world metropolises. Rome will have full 5G service availability, gaining faster and quicker data transmission, 'coverage' in all conditions, and multiple application opportunities in terms of citizen services," Mayor Roberto Gualtieri said.

"We are very proud to provide our expertise and skills by working towards the implementation of this major project, which will make it possible to achieve the Administration of Roma Capitale's ambition to equip the city with one of the most technologically advanced digital infrastructures worldwide. Today, we have laid the foundation block of an impressive project, one of the most important that we are carrying out in other cities around the world, such as London and New York. Thanks to the cooperation with the Administration of Roma Capitale, mobile operators, and all stakeholders, the #Roma5G project offers many opportunities that will benefit all citizens and visitors alike for many years to come," Antonio Ruggiero, CEO of Boldyn Networks Italia, commented.