• Boldyn Networks and the City of Rome have signed the agreement to build #Roma5G, the capital's first advanced 5G infrastructure, open to all mobile network operators
• Project includes coverage of all metro lines, installation of more than 2200 small-cells, public Wi-Fi with 850 access points in 100 squares, installation of 1800 IOT sensors, and 2000 5G CCTV cameras for an increasingly safe city
• Public-private partnership investment of 97.7 million euros total
• New 5G infrastructure will be able to provide full connectivity in all of Rome’s busiest locations, increase public safety, and enable smart services
• Project represents the importance of the Italian market for the expansion of Boldyn’s presence in Europe

16 November 2023 | Rome, Italy

Boldyn Networks (Boldyn), one of the world's largest neutral host providers, today announced it signed a public-private partnership agreement with the City of Rome to implement #Roma5G. The ambitious project involves the construction, management, operation, and maintenance of a 5G and Wi-Fi infrastructure across Rome. Capable of making Rome a connected, digital, and sustainable smart city at the forefront of European cities.

Rome, a city of roughly four million citizens, will be technologically ready to host some 32 million visitors expected for the Jubilee 2025 celebrations, for the Rome Expo 2030 if it wins the bid and to host the European Football Cup in 2032. This is on top of the ~15 million tourists the city welcomes each year, who expect full connectivity to capture and share their special moments in real time.

The #Roma5G project will be launched in the coming weeks. It will have a focus on safety and environmental sustainability, based on a small cell system that provides reduced energy consumption and low electromagnetic emissions.

It includes:

• The coverage of all metro lines (A, B, C) and in particular 83 stations and 68 km of tunnels, in all frequency bands for 4G and 5G services.
• The development of the passive infrastructure. Including 2200 signal propagation points for underlay coverage in 5G in the city, based on small cells, open to accommodate all market players both public and private.
• The development of a free Wi-Fi network for the City of Rome with about 850 points of presence distributed in 100 squares (and adjacent streets) with high density of tourist flows.
• The supply, installation, and management of about 1,800 IoT sensors and 2,000 high-resolution 5G cameras for the development of smart city solutions and land management/control.

The total investment expected from the public-private partnership is 97.7 million euros, with a contribution of 20 million euros from the City of Rome, deriving from Jubilee 2025 funds allocated by the PNRR. The project, which provides for a 25-year concession, will integrate seamlessly with the aesthetics of the city and existing installed equipment.

There will be many benefits from the implementation of the project, including full connectivity in all the city's busiest locations, the increase in public safety through video surveillance systems and the enablement of a wide portfolio of digital services provided by the City of Rome (including free Wi-Fi, environmental monitoring sensors at major traffic points and others).

A high-capacity, high-availability, low-latency network is essential to implement smart services effectively and securely for the public and for the private sector. This project will be key to propel Rome towards becoming a true smart city.

Roberto Gualtieri, Mayor of Rome, said: "We are proud to be able to kick off one of the most strategically relevant projects for the future of the City of Rome. The collaboration with Boldyn Networks will allow the creation of a next-gen technological network to enable the most advanced digital services. Thanks to this project, Rome is at the forefront, becoming a smart city capable of putting the best technologies at the service of everyone, concretely creating a Smart City among the most advanced in Europe. We will also enable the city to achieve a reduction in electromagnetic emissions, leveraging a neutral technology open to all market operators, in addition to free Wi-Fi available to all citizens”.

"We are proud to bring Boldyn Network’s neutral host expertise to such an important and cutting-edge project, from its inception and design together with the City of Rome, to its full implementation. A project that will open the possibilities for all telecom players while benefitting all Italian citizens and visitors for years to come”, said Andrew McGrath, Group Chief Commercial Officer of Boldyn Networks. “The #Roma5G project represents the importance of the Italian market for the expansion of Boldyn in Europe and new growth opportunities. With this initiative Rome is taking an important step forward in terms of technology, liveability, and security.”

Boldyn Networks is already behind advanced shared networks solutions in some of the world's major cities such as New York, London, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Hong Kong.  The company is committed to bridging the digital divide through continued collaboration with industry partners and a special focus on public-private partnerships. In this context the #Roma5G project joins the LinkNYC project, where Boldyn is enabling the largest public free outdoor Wi-Fi network in the United States; a long-term partnership with Transport for London as a central pillar of the city's 4G/5G underground connectivity and emergency services; and a 20-year partnership with Sunderland City Council to build a 5G advanced wireless infrastructure, creating the UK’s most advanced smart city. This includes an extensive public Wi-Fi network, the development of one of the country’s first 5G universities, and other use cases like smart sensors for safer roads.