IVREA. Two hundred interventions carried out in a year between Ivrea and Canavese to increase the speed and efficiency of the 4G data network and others in progress (in Ivrea the Scia presented for the enhancement of antennas over 20 W on existing radio systems in via Arduino, via Torino, via Piemonte). And then three new municipalities covered by 4G last February (Noasca, Borgomasino, Frassinetto), plus an impressive development plan for ultra-broadband with Fwa in small towns where optical fiber does not reach.
Thus Vodafone is responding to the increased demand for data traffic which exploded as a result of the pandemic also in the territory of Ivrea and Canavese.
Where, in line with the national trend, between distance learning and smart working the profile has increased by 60-70% spreading throughout the day and no longer according to the consumption peaks that traditionally were recorded, for example, of early evening.
Vodafone, which has its headquarters in Ivrea, is working on existing plants (about 200 in Canavese, about fifteen in Ivrea) “to have faster traffic – explains Maria Stella Porcelli, Network implementation Alto Piemonte and Valle d’Aosta – In Ivrea , in particular, we already have 95% coverage. With the appropriate technical measures on the existing antennas we hope to exceed 98% before the summer ». A year ago the lockdown effect. “The network was mature and in fact we managed last year an increase in traffic between March and April equal alone to the average annual increase”. Today, however, it is estimated that 75% of ICT is still working from home (sector with 500 companies and ten thousand employees in Canavese); the same distance learning, in fact, supplanted by face-to-face lessons since last April 7, returns to be implemented in situations of quarantine or precautionary isolation, as in Borgofranco, where elementary and middle schools have returned to Dad in the face of the spread of infections between students and teachers.
From April 2020 “we have accelerated the 4G improvement plan in Canavese by carrying out almost 200 interventions, thereby increasing the capacity of the network”. Small towns such as Noasca, Borgomasino, Frassinetto have been covered. “We are bringing new performance monitoring logics to the plants in the area thanks to the big data applied to network management to have analysis of traffic increase, daily distribution and also the need for plan interventions for the new year in line with the previous one”.
Fwa (acronym for Fixed wireless access) is the technology that uses radio waves to bring broadband and ultra-wide bandwidth to places where the passage of optical fiber is not possible for technical or natural reasons. The Fwa does not depend on the telephone network but uses radio wave signals through an antenna positioned towards the nearest fiber optic exchange. Users must then position an antenna in the direction of the nearest control unit and connect it to a modem that allows the sharing of wi-fi throughout the house and with all the technological devices present. And this is where another front of expansion by Vodafone is located, which last year equipped 74 Canavese municipalities otherwise discovered and preparing another 30 for 2021. In the municipalities reached, “Fwa technology is the unique that can allow a broadband connection to 123 thousand real estate units, a capillary effort that allows us to work on small municipalities to overcome the digital divide of the territory. The Fwa is a hybrid system of mixed fiber-radio connectivity thanks to which it is possible to guarantee significant performances (up to 50mbps in uplink and up to 100mbps downlink) in many municipalities not reached by cable technologies ». Technology, however, advocated a month ago by Uncem in denouncing the critical issues of the digital divide that separates the mountain areas from the urban ones and in the face of the delays of the national plan for ultra-broadband (only 200 out of 1100 Piedmontese municipalities have been completed, with the fiber tested). Here is the list of Canavese centers where Vodafone has brought Fwa coverage (with a previous preparatory work on 4G): Albiano, Alpette, Andrate, Azeglio, Bairo, Baldissero, Borgiallo, Borgomasino, Bosconero, Brosso, Canischio, Castelnuovo Nigra, Ceresole Reale, Chiaverano, Chiesanuova, Cintano, Colleretto Castelnuovo, Colleretto Giacosa, Corio, Cuceglio, Fiorano, Foglizzo, Forno, Frassinetto, Front, Issiglio, Lessolo, Levone, Locana, Lombardore, Loranzè, Mercenasco, Montalenghe, Noasca, Oglianico, Ozegna , Palazzo, Parella, Pertusio, Piverone, Pont, Prascorsano, Pratiglione, Quagliuzzo, Quassolo, Quincinetto, Ribordone, Rivara, Rivarossa, Rocca Canavese, Romano, Ronco, Rondissone, Rueglio, Salerano, Samone, San Colombano, Belmonte, San Martino, Scarmagno, Settimo Rottaro, Settimo Vittone, Sparone, Strambinello, Torre Canavese, Traversella, Vestignè, Vidracco, Villareggia, Vische, Vistrorio, Val di Chy, Valchiusa, Viverone. –