Vouchers and controls: this is how the government responds to the obstacles to fiber optics

An odyssey made of delays, missed appointments, technical denials, problems due to the inadequacy of the buildings. With an investigation published last Sunday, Il Sole 24 Ore summarized the difficulties encountered by consumers who try to subscribe to ultra-broadband in the Ftth version, i.e. with optical fiber which should reach all the way to the home.

The main operators involved in coverage (Open Fiber and FiberCop) and in the sale of connections to end customers (Fastweb+Vodafone, Tim, WindTre and Iliad) answered three questions to explain what is holding the market back. A situation probably underestimated so far by the competent government structures. Something, however, is now starting to move. The undersecretary of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Innovation, Alessio Butti, announces that the topic will be placed at the center of the update of the Ultra-Broadband Strategy, the document that will set out the initiatives for 2027-2030 (with the unknown of who will arrive at Palazzo Chigi after next year's elections).

The Interministerial Committee for Digital Transition will examine the Strategy at its next meeting. Given a take up rate (active connections with respect to covered real estate units) currently lower than 30%, which in international comparison translates into a dismal fifth from last place, the objective will be to reach at least 52% by 2031. How? The Department for Digital Transition is thinking of a mix of vouchers for demand and interventions to increase transparency on real estate units which are not only obtained and abstractly "sellable", but ready for rapid activation.

«When a critical issue emerges, our task is to understand the causes and find a concrete solution – says Butti -. This is why the new Bul Strategy addresses the gap between network availability and actual use. We work on incentives, services and training that help citizens, businesses and public administrations to use very high-capacity connections. The Strategy we are preparing aims for at least 52% use by 2031, with support measures and constant monitoring of the results." The point is that translating good intentions into concrete results, as demonstrated by the adoption of numerous Plans and Strategies in various sectors, regardless of the political color of the government that launched them, is not at all a given. «For this reason – adds the Undersecretary for Innovation – we are involving all the administrations involved to build a shared response».

Interventions being studied by the government

In the package of interventions under study, a voucher for ultra-fast fiber connectivity for families stands out, for which the financial coverage is being evaluated in light of the possible audience of beneficiaries to be facilitated. As for the technical problems highlighted in the Sole 24 Ore investigation, for now it is expected to trigger indications to operators for greater transparency on the connectivity offer, through the Communications Authority's Broadband map and other information tools on available technologies.