"A nice operation, a significant investment in the broadband sector which will contribute to reducing the digital divide between the North and the South of the country and to modernize the fixed and mobile telecommunications networks". Thus the Minister of Economic Development Flavio Zanonato defined the agreement signed by Invitalia and Vodafone to modernize and expand the telecommunications network in Sicily.
The Development Contract was signed at the Mise by Domenico Arcuri, managing director of Invitalia, and Saverio Tridico, director of Public and Legal Affairs and director of Vodafone. The total investment is 50 million euros and Invitalia will finance the initiative with 15 million euros in the form of plant grants.
The goal is to upgrade the network throughout the island to cover areas that have not yet been reached and provide them with state-of-the-art voice and data services. The advantages will be for both fixed and mobile coverage, in particular for the use of the new web services from smartphones and for a wider use of the corporate internet networks even outside the workplace.
For Domenico Arcuri, “it is the demonstration that the Ministry of Development and Invitalia can put in place streamlined and effective tools capable of attracting investments from abroad and favoring the establishment of international groups even in the weakest areas of the country. The Development Agreement, which replaced the old Planning Agreements, is proving to be an effective tool. Four more agreements will be signed by January". "This important investment for broadband in Sicily represents a concrete contribution to digital development that citizens and businesses will benefit from - said Saverio Tridico - It is a further sign of Vodafone's trust in the country which has decided to double its investments in Italy over the next 2 years, reaching 3,6 billion euros”.
