| Project Detail |
This is the second EIB operation with Infrastrutture Wireless Italiane (INWIT) S.p.A., a leading company in mobile and broadcast communication towers in Italy. The present project aims to support INWITs expansion and modernisation, specifically focusing on towers and rooftop sites. It will host radio, antennas, and transmission equipment for multiple mobile network operators (MNO) and fixed wireless access operators. Objectives The expansion through new sites will enable a wider coverage, particularly for 5G services, including in more disadvantaged areas. The project also comprises new network infrastructure for fibre optic backhauling of the tower sites and the installation of small cells and Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) to extend the mobile network coverage inside facilities such as hospitals, museums, shopping malls, metro underground and highway tunnels. Such investments will support a better network coverage, higher network capacity and allow for better mobile indoor services particularly in the light of strongly raising mobile data traffic. The project aligns perfectly with the EU Digital Compass 2030, which states that by 2030 all EU households must have Gigabit connectivity. It also addresses the market failure of under-investment in Very High-Capacity Network (VHCN) infrastructure in areas previously considered unprofitable. The strategy of sharing infrastructure will facilitate the expansion to less populated areas due to reduced investment costs. Furthermore, the project supports Innovation, Digital, and Human Capital - Digital Infrastructure and addresses failures in the financial market caused by the fact that the economic lifetime of digital infrastructure exceeds the tenor of loans, which are typically not available on domestic capital markets or from commercial banks. The project is expected to accelerate investment in VHC networks in designated areas, thereby rating the EIBs as Very Good. Additionally, it is important to consider that a significant share of the project (42%) will be located in cohesion regions. The Project is eligible under / conforms with Article 309 point (a) Projects for developing less-developed regions and point (c) common interest of the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union. Sector(s) Telecom - Information and communication Proposed EIB finance (Approximate amount) EUR 350 million Total cost (Approximate amount) EUR 788 million |
