Telecoms: Italy

The Italian Piedmont Region has launched and SMS-based emergency service targeting its over-65 residents.

This is just another example on how pervasive mobile technology is in Italy (penetration rate is well over 100%), even among its oldest citizens, once wrongly regarded as technology-unsavvy.

In Italy still several different emergency numbers are in operation. There is still a long way to go before reaching the goal of promoting a single European number (112) for emergency service.

However, a recent decree approved by the Government last August will facilitate the adoption of the 112 number as the main contact for emergency also in Italy.

A 22 year-old Italian from Milan won the “fastest SMS” contest organized by Radio 105 and Focus magazine.

At the final event who took place on the beach of Milano Marittima, Andrea Fantoni was able to type in just 1'23''50, although being blindfold, the following SMS without any error and not using the T9 typing method: "The razor toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world. In reality they seldom attack a human".

Fastweb decided to adopt a new open decoder for its renewed IPTV service. New customers will get a new IPTV set top box working also as open HD-ready DVB-T digital terrestrial receiver.

Tomorrow the long awaited Italian football season will begin. For the first time, Serie A football matches will also be available live over mobile DVB-H-capable videophones.

Fixed-mobile convergence, “one company” model, multi-platform content delivery, … Telecom Italia was just kidding. The new stategy of the Italian incumbent is to sell its mobile subsidiary TIM (Telecom Italia Mobile), that was merged into the main company less than two years ago with much fanfare about synergies and “strategic advantages” of the fixed-mobile convergence.

According to an official press release issued today, the Board of Directors of Telecom Italia, examined and approved the roadmap for the reorganization of the Telecom Italia Group.

Convergence has been the most quoted word by Telecom Italia’s top management during the last couple of years.

Here is a peculiar summary of what they though about the importance of fixed-mobile convergence:

Fastweb and Vodafone announced their first fixed broadband and mobile convergent offer targeted to consumers.

Just a few days after abandoning its convergent strategy, Telecom Italia finally launched its long delayed Unico Wi-Fi/GSM service. Actually, Telecom Italia changed the name (and gender in the Italian language) from Unico to Unica.

A few days after announcing a sudden change of strategy, Marco Tronchetti Provera stepped down as chairman of Telecom Italia.

Despite the current turmoil in the company, Telecom Italia was able to successfully bid for the German operation of AOL.
The Italian incumbent bought AOL Germany from Time Warner for € 675 million.

Siemens Communications Italia won a turn-key contract from Retelit to supply DWDM equipment operating at 40 Gbit/s.

Telecom Italia and Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) have struck a deal to offer on-demand major blockbuster movies from the US movie studio Telecom Italia’s TV via Internet service and Telecom’s Italia ADSL portal.