They have fully embodied the spirit of proximity operators. Project Wireco is the first community wireless network in Western Sicily. It is not a company, but a social promotion association, which today it can count on 30 Founding Members, 400 Ordinary Members, and 5 Honorary Members. Among other objectives, to ensure broadband connectivity services for its members in digitally divided rural areas:

"We were founded in 2017 and gradually enhanced our offerings and improved performance. We started with a 10 megabit offer for our members, then 40, and today we have moved to 100 megabits. We ask members for a fee of 180 euros," explains Filippo Ciringione, one of the founders of the initiative.

Wireco and its 400 members

From a legal standpoint, Wireco is a fully-fledged ISP. To operate, it has obtained the ministerial authorization for frequencies, is registered with the Roc and the Chamber of Commerce.

Today it serves more than 400 private members. But Wireco also offers connectivity to entities and companies: commercial activities that are allowed, within certain limits, by the regulations governing associations.

"During the pandemic, we provided connectivity free of charge to families who could not afford it, reported to us by social workers and schools. We are attentive to the needs of the territories. For example, we have installed video surveillance systems for churches," says Filippo.

Raise awareness on the use of technology

Wireco is involved in much more. Among the activities offered to members are conferences and training courses for help those who are not familiar with using technology, addressing primarily a diverse audience with particular attention to the elderly. With them in mind, Wireco will launch, for example, informational courses on scams and frauds that are rampant on the internet.

"We always strive to maintain a high level of services and aim to grow gradually, to improve the level of connectivity offered, but also to hire permanent staff to support the technical and administrative areas," reveals Filippo.

Two similar missions that complement each other

Wireco's objectives in the Sicilian territory align with the value of proximity that Assoprovider has been promoting for years. For this reason, the partnership between Wireco and the association of proximity operators was natural:

"We are a small organization: in this world, we resemble a fly that could easily be crushed if it does not associate with others. We chose to become a partner of Assoprovider for the association's approach, which always has the interests of small operators at heart and not those of large companies," concludes Filippo.