Italy is set to trial the deployment of satellites from Elon Musk’s Starlink to improve internet connectivity in remote regions of the country, according to government officials. Undersecretary to the Prime Minister’s Office, Alessio Butti, revealed the initiative in an interview with Il Sole 24 Ore ahead of a G7 ministerial meeting on technology and digital advancements at Lake Como.
Butti noted that discussions are ongoing with various regional administrations about integrating satellite technology into existing infrastructure. “We are assessing with Starlink and other players the possibility of complementing existing infrastructure with satellites for the most remote areas,” he stated.
The government is currently in talks with regions across the north, center, and south of Italy to pilot a “space-based service” aimed at areas lacking terrestrial internet infrastructure. This move comes as the Italian government seeks alternatives to address delays in fiber rollout plans by telecommunications companies.
As part of its broader strategy, Italy aims to provide homes and businesses with fixed-line internet speeds of at least 1 Gigabit per second by 2026. “The Italy at 1 Giga scheme is a key element of our commitments under the post-pandemic recovery plan, and we are aware of the importance of reaching the target set for 2026,” Butti emphasized.
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