The war on 5G continues. The health crisis and the consequent economic crisis, as well as the bureaucratic constraints that slow down the process of obtaining authorizations to invest in fifth generation infrastructures, risk complicating compliance with the roadmap towards digitization in Italy. To sound the alarm is the Institute for Competitiveness (I-Com), the study center specializing in digital and telecommunications issues led by the economist Stefano da Empoli.
From what emerged from the study "Who is prepared for the new digital age", released last April by the BCI, Italy's development in terms of digitization is held back by regulatory hurdles and excessive tax burden.
Even the main operators of the country who, during the hearings in the Senate, in view of the implementation of the European Code of Electronic Communications, expressed their perplexities about the excessive regulatory constraints that risk giving rise to technological gaps between one area and another of the country, depriving citizens of the possibility of competing with the same weapons.
Among the various critical issues reported, there are also the need to implement the law on the perimeter of national cyber security as soon as possible, the importance of standardizing the Italian legislation on emissions to that of the EU and, finally, a simplification of the rules governing interventions and installations that are not always homogeneous throughout the national territory.
Italy, alone last year it ranked in the top positions on 5G, while now it is falling dramatically in the international rankings. In the report drawn up by Incites, Europe 5G Readiness Index, Assessing Europe's readiness to replay and adopt 5G, Italy ranks 20th and has dropped to 33rd (out of 39) as regards the regulatory and policy framework for the development of new networks.
Blocking the digital revolution in our country is above all the conspiracy theory that has spread in recent months, according to which the spread of the Coronavirus is linked to 5G systemsconsidered a risk to our health.
this theory, without any scientific basis, has spread on the web until it leads to numerous acts of vandalism, such as in the United Kingdom where mobile phone masts were set on fire (moreover 4G), moreover putting connectivity at risk in a moment of extreme necessity.
Fake news on the subject has been around the world, having a strong impact on our country, where over 200 municipalities are adopting a series of measures to prevent the installation of these antennas, depriving over 1 million people of reaping all the benefits that this technology can offer. Although there is no evidence that it can harm the environment or people's health.
5G networks represent an extraordinary opportunity for development and growth. A highly performing and innovative technological evolution that will revolutionize connectivity services – both fixed and mobile – all over the world.
However, the lengthy bureaucratic procedures together with fake news risk frustrating all the efforts that our country has made in recent years, not only slowing down the restart of the Italian system but also by increasing the technological gap between us and the rest of the world.
To calm things down, the Institute for Competitiveness has set up the5G security observatory: a table for discussion and discussion between experts and representatives of institutions, universities and the manufacturing world
“The new fifth generation transmission standard represents an important opportunity for development and growth on a global level – he commented from Empoli – in particular for its ability to enable new services and new advanced applications, starting right from healthcare. This is an opportunity that cannot be missed, especially after the emergency caused by the spread of Covid-19 in which the inalienability of continuing - and possibly speeding up - the roll-out of new generation networks emerged even more strongly ”.
