Telecom Italia (TIM) is preparing to bring widespread 5G to Italy, launching initiatives that will span major cities, industrial areas, and nationwide digital literacy programs scheduled to begin after the summer.
TIM has already activated 5G services in Rome and Turin and recently extended commercial 5G availability to Naples, offering early consumer and business services. The rollout will continue to six additional major cities — Milan, Bologna, Verona, Florence, Matera, and Bari — and will cover 30 tourist destinations, 50 industrial districts, and 30 dedicated enterprise projects. The new network will support peak speeds up to 2 gigabits per second, enabling faster connectivity for homes, businesses, and public services.
To accelerate adoption, TIM has launched its first commercial plans for both residential and business customers in partnership with device manufacturers such as Samsung, Xiaomi, and Oppo, ensuring compatible handsets are available immediately. Customers can choose devices and subscription options through TIM’s official website. TIM also plans to enable 5G roaming in six countries, starting in July with Austria, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland, followed by Spain, Germany, and the United Arab Emirates.
TIM’s 5G efforts date back to earlier trials. In 2017, Turin became the first Italian city to deploy a 5G mobile network after the municipality signed a memorandum of understanding with TIM. The agreement included plans to install more than 100 small cells across key urban areas, beginning metropolitan trials in 2018 with an objective of citywide coverage by 2020.
In the same year, TIM signed another memorandum of understanding with the Republic of San Marino. Working together, TIM and San Marino upgraded mobile sites to 4.5G and prepared for 5G capabilities by deploying technologies such as advanced multi-antenna mast configurations (MIMO 4×4), carrier aggregation, higher-order modulation schemes, and cloud-based mobile network functions.
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