APRO19 concludes, the Assoprovider event that assesses the state of the telecom market in Italy. Here are the faces, themes, and responses from government forces to the demands of small and medium telecommunications operators.
APRO19, our event that annually assesses the state of the telecommunications and 5G market in our country, concluded in the best possible way., between challenges and opportunities. If we expected answers and commitments from the political sphere, we have received them.
The governing forces, M5S and Lega, have committed to opening discussions and finding solutions to increase competition and eliminate the injustices that still limit the activities of small and medium operators.
Here is what emerged from the meeting with the political forces, as well as the ideas and curiosities that have been launched on the stage of APRO19 last week.
Lega and 5Stelle listen to the demands of small and medium-sized telecom operators
Guest at the political table, Michele Gubitosa (Movimento 5 Stelle) highlighted the "need for protection for independent providers, who play a decisive role, and will have an even greater role in the future, in providing essential services to citizens, such as teleassistance in the healthcare sector.” The deputy then added: «In 10 years, those who are not connected to the Internet will not have essential services.. As institutions, we will organize smaller meetings with Assoprovider representatives to support a sector of vital importance for citizens.»
Present for the Lega, Francesco Lucianò, who spoke about the party's commitment on various fronts of the telecom market, such as the completion of Network infrastructures, initiatives to provide more information on digital topics through a school civic education program and television involvement with RAI, and especially measures in favor of small operators: "We are working," stated Lucianò, "to support from a fiscal perspective operators who have a smaller and less numerous number of fixed connections."
Third guest at the table, Marco Bellezza from the MISE highlighted the change in approach of the current Government towards small and medium operators: «The Government's intention is to seek solutions to support SMEs in the telecommunications sector. The approach has changed: there is more collaboration and openness with entities like Assoprovider».
Promises and commitments that satisfied the entrepreneurs present at the event, such as Fulvio Sarzana, legal representative of Assoprovider, who stated: "Politics has shown today that it can listen. Now it must act with greater awareness of the administrative and bureaucratic constraints that hinder the growth of SMEs in the sector. After listening, we expect concrete actions."
Lies about 5G and the killer app
APRO19 was opened by the speech of Paolo Di Francesco, Assoprovider board member, who inaugurated a project that will lead to the first 5G trials in Busseto Pallizzolo, a rural Sicilian community. His company is a recent winner of Flame, an open call funded by the European Community.
In his speech, Di Francesco focused on the many falsehoods that have been said about 5G: "The most odious claim is that 5G is a tool intended only for large operators. On the contrary, it is a technology whose architecture can also be implemented by a small operator, with wise investments. In 5G, the killer app is still awaited, which will convince company customers to switch from 4G to 5G and pay more."
How to combat the digital divide
Satisfaction with the results of the work as well from Dino Bortolotto, president of Assoprovider, has always been at the forefront in the fight against digital divide: "We must have the courage to say enough to business models that concentrate everything in the hands of a few operators. The digital divide is tackled with business models that involve small local telecom operators.. It is precisely they who have always experimented with new technologies, collaborated, and actively worked to bring the Internet to areas considered market failures," he explained.
