CDP subsidiary signs agreement with Italy’s highway operator to reduce digital divide
Rome January 10, 2017
OpEn Fiber, owned by CDP Group and electricity producer Enel, reached an agreement with Italy’s highway operator Anas to install high-speed fiber-optic cables along the extensive national road network.
According to terms of the memorandum of understanding, the two companies would gain access to Anas’ Italian infrastructure to lay about 3,000 km of fiber-optic cable, increasing access to ultra-broadband internet for homes and businesses in the eurozone’s third-largest economy. Installation work would start as early as this year.
The integration of Anas’ highway network with OpEn Fiber’s ultra-broadband system would also allow for the creation of so-called Smart Road technology, intelligent vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications. Among the benefits are increased security and traffic management, factors to better facilitate the mobility of people and goods.
The collaborative model proposed by OpEn Fiber to Anas - in line with the Italian government’s strategic plan for the deployment of ultra-broadband. Other telecommunications operators will be invited to sign the agreement, which aims to decrease Italy’s digital divide and increase national digital infrastructure technology.