Italy is entering the 10 Gigabit era, that is a higher level internet speed, useful for companies and consumers who want to keep up with the evolution of digital. The main operators refer to ItalianTech that are heating up the engines for this passage, which increases the maximum speed reached in Italy by four times (now 2.5 Gigabit). Technically it means they are adopting the XGS-Pon standard over fiber optic networks in homes; now the GPON standard is used instead.
In particular, Tim is ahead with the launch, which is the first to already offer 10 Gigabit speed to several thousand customers. “On Brindisi and Taranto TIM Super 10 Gigabit will be active from 15 July, the experimental offer FTTH Fiber up to 10 Gbps“, explain from the operator. Users are provided with an ad hoc modem. Upload speed is 2 Gigabit. In some thousands of users in Rome, Turin and Genoa, a 10 Gigabit profile in download and upload (symmetrical) has been active since March, more suitable for medium-large companies. “TIM was the first to test this XGS-PON network technology on 26 March last, which allows you to travel up to 10 Gigabits per second, in Amici’s television studio”, they add from the operator.
In short, in those cities the first 10 Gigabit internet is available in homes, although for now only on an experimental basis. Only users who re-enter the trial (those who are gradually contacted by the operator) can activate it. As this is an experiment, the usual levels of service reliability are not guaranteed. From 22 January 2021 it intends to terminate it to move to the commercial launch (except for postponements).
Note that the XGS-Pon standard has been available since 2010; this acceleration in its use is probably due to covid-19, which has increased the socio-economic importance of internet connections. “Vodafone activated 10 Gigabits at the end of June at Palazzo Biscari in Catania, on an Open Fiber network, on an experimental basis”, they say from this operator. “At the moment we have not announced commercial launch dates.” “We will begin to experiment with users the Xgs-Pon technology, which we have already tested, within the year”, explain from Wind 3.
Only Fastweb’s approach is different: “although already technologically ready to launch 10 Gigabit Fastweb has decided to adopt a different approach than the market by choosing to pursue a strategy that is not only industrial but also looks at social aspects with the aim of connections at least 1 Gigabit nationwide, without creating a two-speed Italy “, explain the operator. “For this reason Fastweb is investing in the roll out of its Ultra FWA (Fixed Wireless Access) network to connect 12 million Italian families and businesses in the white and gray areas of the country by 2024 and support the digital transition of all citizens. today there are already 130 municipalities covered and the goal at the end of the year is to reach 500. A plan, by 2024, 2,000 municipalities will be covered “.
In fact, complete optical fiber (in homes) is still an affair of a lucky few: only about one in four street addresses is covered (according to Agcom data from 2020); even if it is a leap from 15 percent in 2019, most of Italy dreams of “gigabit” speed. Let alone talk about 10 Gigabit. Hence the need, also pursued with the current PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) to bring gigabit to everyone by 2026 with a mix of technologies, fiber and wireless (5G).
In the long term, however, it will be appropriate to extend fiber technology, because according to numerous studies the impact of the pandemic will persist even in the long term, pushing digital even further in our societies. It will therefore be necessary to both increase the basic gigabit coverage and use new standards that use fiber infrastructure. Now Gpon, soon Xps-Pon and then the already available NG-Pon 2, which goes up to 40 or 80 Gigabit.
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