This first nationwide commercial WiMAX network in Italy will be one of the largest WiMAX networks in Europe.The first 130 sites will be deployed by Alcatel-Lucent in Puglia and Veneto Regions.
This new network will enable Aria to provide municipalities, businesses, small office/home office (SoHo) and residential users with high-speed access to the Internet as well as advanced broadband multimedia services, such as video streaming.
In a second phase of the project, Aria plans to introduce voice over IP (VoIP) and virtual private network (VPN) services.
Alcatel-Lucent will act as network integrator with a wide range of services such as network planning and engineering, site & technology implementation to provide a turnkey WiMAX Rev-e solution, including base stations, wireless access controllers, backhaul transport microwave equipment as well as an operations and maintenance center (OMC).

WiMax licenses have been awaded to 11 different companies.

Ariaadsl and A.F.T. were able to gain an almost nationwide coverage, while incumbent Telecom Italia concentrated mostly on the Central and Southern part of the country. Among the biggest investors, Retelit was able to gain coverage on all Northern Italian regions.

Here is a full list of companies getting at least one license.

• A.F.T.
• AriaDsl
• Assomax
• Brennercom
• City Carrier
• E-via Gruppo Retelit
• Infracom
• MGM Productions – Profit Group
• Ribes Informatica-Hal Service-Lan Service-Informatica System-Tex97
• Telecom Italia
• Tourist Ferry Boat-Temix-Medianet Comunicazioni

All but 2 of the 29 bidders presented valid starting bids. No one was able to get a license in this preliminary round, so all licenses will be awarded after the real auction process, due to start next February 13.
Had the auction ended today, the Italian Treasury would have raised about € 50 m.

NGI’s new broadband network provides extended voice and data services to Lombardia, Veneto and Piemonte regions, covering approximately 15,000 km2.

The 29 bidding companies are:

• Abruzzo Engineering
• A.F.T.
• Ariadsl
• Assomax Srl – Nettare Srl
• Brennercom Spa
• Central Com
• City Carrier
• Consorzio Bit Valley
• Dci Srl Unipersonale
• Elettronica Industriale
• Energia E Territorio
• E-Via Gruppo Retelit
• Fastweb
• Flynet
• Infracom Italia – Acantho Spa
• Media P.A.
• Mercurio Fvg
• Mgm Productions Srl – Profit Group
• New Telecommunications Srl – Memo Srl – Fin.Se.Co. – Itq Consulting Srl – New Television
• Progetto Due
• Ribes Informatica Spa- Hal Service – Lan Service – Informatica System – Tex97 – B.B.Bell
• System House
• Telecom Italia
• Teleinform
• Toto Costruzioni Generali
• Tourist Ferry-Boat – Temix Spa – Medianet Comunicazioni
• Trentino Network
• Uno Communications
• Wind Telecomunicazioni

Among big players, notably Vodafone and H3G chose not to bid.

Almost as expected, spectrum will be auctioned in three blocks of 2×21 MHz each, with one of the block reserved for operators not already owning an UMTS license.
Two blocks will be licensed in each of the seven macroregions:
1.Lombardia, Province Autonome di Trento e Bolzano
2.Valle d’Aosta, Piemonte, Liguria, Toscana
3. Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Emilia Romagna, Marche
4.Umbria, Lazio, Abruzzo, Molise
5.Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria
6.Sicilia
7.Sardegna
The third block (reserved to non UMTS operator) will be licensed a regional basis.
The base price for the auction for each macroregion ranges from € 400k to € 3.5m, while the base price for the auction for each region ranges from € 40k to € 3m, totalling € 45m.
Each winner of the 15 year long renawable but not tradeable licenses must guarantee a minimum coverage in the area within 30 months in order to keep its license.