Fastweb + Vodafone claims 5G network milestone for Italy

In a “first-of-its-kind” test in the country, Italian operator Fastweb + Vodafone has revealed that a trial on its commercial 5G network in Rome has achieved a peak speed of 2.5 Gbps, marking a significant milestone for next-gen mobile and potentially transforming Italy’s digital landscape.

The trial was conducted in collaboration with mobile technology providers Honor, Qualcomm Technologies and Xiaomi. Fastweb + Vodafone claims it is set to revolutionise connectivity, paving the way for 5G Advanced, enabling support for advanced applications, and unlocking next-generation services based on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

Six carriers were aggregated to conduct the trial: five 4G LTE bands and one 5G New Radio (NR) based entirely on 5G transmitters, along with 1024QAM modulation applied on the 5G NR component, creating a network architecture that uses advanced techniques to increase spectral efficiency. The evolution of the mobile network to 2.5 Gbps was achieved through the technology partners.

Fastweb + Vodafone is engaged in a process of enhancing its network infrastructure, with the aim of improving the quality of indoor and mobile services. Fastweb + Vodafone has already launched the configuration, targeting high-traffic radio stations in Rome and Milan, to make more efficient use of the frequency spectrum and offer its customers better quality connectivity services.

Among the innovations unveiled were two projects currently being implemented. The first involves the use of smart devices on 4G radio stations to improve the performance of wireless systems which, with the use of AI-based functionality, are able to improve coverage in offices, shopping centres and public places.

The second involves the use of AI-driven optimisation techniques for the automatic adjustment of network parameters to balance traffic in real time, and then to ensure better performance for customers, with greater sustainability thanks to more efficient energy consumption.

The operator noted that in the coming months, with the spread of new compatible smartphones, an increasing number of users will be able to benefit from the innovations supported by 2.5 Gbps throughput for applications such as augmented and virtual reality and immersive entertainment. Such throughput and greater capacity are seen by the operator as crucial features for supporting advanced applications and situations with high network loads, such as wearables, smart and connected factories, and applications aimed at expanding the use of AI agents to reduce low-level activities.

Moreover, the operator sees even networks capable of exceeding 1 Gbps as paving the way for new advanced applications for industries and businesses in a wide range of fields, from logistics to manufacturing automation, education and healthcare.

“The milestone achieved today in Rome allows us to accelerate the development of advanced 5G solutions that use artificial intelligence to constantly improve performance. In this way, we are accelerating the development of high-value services to make a concrete contribution to the digitalisation of the country,” said Max Gasparroni, chief technology and security officer at Fastweb + Vodafone.

“Offering an ever-better experience to our customers is the goal for which we continue to invest in cutting-edge technologies and innovative infrastructure, which make our mobile network the best in Italy, as recognised by several independent reports. Ours is a mobile ecosystem capable of adapting quickly to customer needs, to which we are now able to add new capacity and flexibility.”

Dino Flore, vice-president of technology at Qualcomm Europe, added: “We would like to congratulate FastWeb + Vodafone on this significant milestone and were honoured to have worked with Honor and Xiaomi on this trial. The improvements in network performance and spectral efficiency offered by 5G Advanced are significant. This is an important step on that journey and we look forward to collaborating with all of the companies involved to bring exciting new services to customers.”