FEBRUARY 27, 2021 – This is the first story of Battaglie della Rete, the podcast by Assoprovider. An unfair story lasting twenty years.

Small providers against an unfair law

In Italy, an association has been fighting for twenty years to eliminate the digital divide and promote the harmonious development of the internet. This goal hinges on a crucial point: the cost of licensed frequencies for small operators. The mechanism is simple: to provide customers with more and more bandwidth, radio links are needed to deliver it. For this, frequencies licensed by the ministry are required. However, such simplicity in the mechanism does not correspond to the same on a practical level.

The story we tell in this episode is therefore a textbook case of economics. The costs of licenses represent the classic distortion of the natural effects of the market. They are indeed both a barrier to entry and a reason for many small entities to exit the market itself. These small entities, in fact, are asked to invest amounts they cannot afford. And the country is imposed with a strong limit on its digitalization. Enjoy listening!

THE VOICES OF THIS EPISODE