The group state Railways Italiane, through the RFI-Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, and the Group TIM have signed an agreement that provides for the upgrading of the 4G mobile coverage systems of the tunnels along the Italian high-speed lines, from Turin to Naples and from Bologna to Venice.
The enhancement will also concern the coverage of other TLC Operators including WINDTRE. Furthermore, as part of the initiatives related to PNRR, feasibility studies relating to the possible use of 5G technologies are envisaged. The goal is to achieve increasingly reliable connectivity on board high-speed trains.
Ferrovie dello Stato and TIM for the 4G connection
The planned interventions will in fact allow passengers to take advantage of a stable and high quality connection even in the most unfavorable areas such as railway tunnels, both through the service WiFi on board the train and through the direct coverage of the TLC Operators participating in the project.
As early as 2022, works to upgrade the systems in the tunnels will begin on the high-speed sections between Turin, Milan, Bologna and Florence, and then continue in 2023, from Florence to Naples and from Bologna to Venice. The project involves an investment of approximately 12 million euros, shared between RFI, the company of FS Group which manages the national railway infrastructure, and the participating TLC Operators.
This agreement represents a first concrete step to put voice and data connectivity on Italian railway lines at levels of international excellence: an initiative that sees an active role played by the Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane Group and by the main National TLC operators paying due attention to the digital needs of travelers, both business and personal, and operating in line with the development initiatives for the country envisaged by the PNRR.