Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|
03ROME1534 | 2003-04-10 10:56:00 | UNCLASSIFIED | Embassy Rome |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. |
UNCLAS ROME 001534 |
1. WI-FI HAS BEEN SLOW TO GET OFF THE GROUND IN ITALY, COMMUNICATIONS MINISTRY OFFICIALS ACKNOWLEDGED DURING THE MARCH 6-7TH U.S/ITALY BILATERAL DISCUSSIONS ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS. MINISTRY OFFICIALS HAVE PUBLICLY CRITICIZED THE COMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY (ITALY'S FCC EQUIVALENT) FOR THE DELAY IN THE ISSUANCE OF WI-FI RELATED REGULATIONS. AUTHORITY OFFICIALS TOLD US ON APRIL 7 THAT THEY WILL SOON ISSUE REGULATIONS FOR PUBLIC USE OF R-LAN -- RADIO LOCAL AREA NETWORKS -- EQUIPMENT. 2. DURING THE MARCH 6-7TH BILATERAL DISCUSSIONS, BOTH MINISTRY AND AUTHORITY OFFICIALS RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THE INTERFERENCE OF WI-FI SYSTEMS WITH 2G AND 3G MOBILE SYSTEMS (REFTEL B). THE U.S. DELEGATION, WHICH WAS HEADED BY AMBASSADOR DAVID GROSS OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT, REPLIED THAT, WHILE THE U.S. GOVERNMENT AND U.S. INDUSTRY INITIALLY HAD THOSE CONCERNS, NOW BOTH PARTIES SEE SYSTEMS AS COMPLEMENTARY. TELECOM COMPANIES, U.S. DELEGATES NOTED, SEE WI-FI AS PART OF A BUNDLE OF SERVICES THAT INCLUDES 2G AND 3G CAPABILITIES. NOTING THAT THE 2.4 MHZ BAND IS USED MORE IN ITALY THAN IN THE U.S., MINISTRY OFFICIALS UNDERSCORED THAT SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT AND ALLOCATION OF FREQUENCIES WILL BE EVEN MORE CRITICAL TO AVOID INTERFERENCE. 3. ITALY HAS ALLOCATED UNLICENSED RADIO-FREQUENCY SPECTRUM FOR USE BY WI-FI AND SIMILAR WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES BOTH FOR PRIVATE AND PUBLIC USE. UNDER ITALY'S FREQUENCY ALLOCATION SCHEME (PNRF - PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPARTIZIONE DELLE FREQUENZE), THE USE OF R-LAN SYSTEMS FOR WI-FI IS ALLOWED, IN THESE FREQUENCY BANDS: 2,400.0 - 2,483.5 MHZ (2.4 GHZ BAND), 5,150 - 5,350 MHZ, 5,470 - 5,725 MHZ (5 GHZ BAND). FOR PRIVATE USE, SYSTEMS AT 2.4 GHZ CAN BE FREELY USED WITHOUT ANY FORM OF AUTHORIZATION IN INDOOR PREMISES; AUTHORIZATION IS NEEDED FOR OUTDOOR USAGE. OPERATORS DO NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR AUTHORIZATION. 4. TELECOM ITALIA OFFERS INDOOR WI-FI SERVICES TO CUSTOMERS. SEVERAL COMPANIES ARE OFFERING OUTSIDE WI-FI SERVICES IN ITALY. MEGABEAM, WHICH WAS RECENTLY PURCHASED BY TELECOM ITALIA FOR ABOUT 11.5 MILLION EUROS, HAS CREATED HOT SPOTS IN THE ROME AND MILAN AIRPORTS, AS WELL AS VARIOUS MEETING ROOMS IN HOTELS IN ROME AND MILAN. WITH FAIRLY HIGH PRICES (115 EUROS PER MONTH), THE SERVICE IS FOCUSED ON BUSINESS TRAVELERS. TELECOM ITALIA PLANS A RAPID EXPANSION FOR WI-FI, AT FIRST PRIMARILY IN TRAIN STATIONS, AIRPORTS, CONFERENCE CENTERS, AND HOTELS. AIRGATE, AN ITALIAN COMPANY, IS PLANNING TO BUILD A NATIONAL WI-FI NETWORK CALLED "SPAGHETTI WIRELESS", BASED ON SEATTLE'S "SEATTLE WIRELESS." THE CITY OF PADUA IS IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING A CITY-WIDE WI-FI NETWORK. IT HAS EIGHT NODES, OF WHICH SIX ARE OPERATIONAL, AND IS PLANNING ON TWELVE MORE THROUGHOUT THE CITY. 5. POST WILL REPORT ON REGULATIONS FOR PUBLIC USE OF R-LAN UPON THEIR PUBLICATION. SEMBLER NNNN 2003ROME01534 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED |