Vodafone brings mobile broadband network to a rural town in Italy

Bobbio is a small Italian town with a population of 3,500 residents, located in Northern Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region. It’s historically had very limited access to internet services. Vodafone Italy has worked with INWIT, Italy’s leading tower operator, to connect this community to our mobile ultra-broadband network system.

Closing the digital divide

The project is helping to overcome the digital divide between Italian cities and towns. Everyone in Bobbio can benefit from the improved connectivity, from residents and local businesses to tourists paying a visit.

Digital services that can often be taken for granted in better connected areas, from remote learning to video streaming, can now be enjoyed at a wider scale across Bobbio. The quality of voice calls has also dramatically increased, helping to connect families and friends with people outside the area.

In addition to setting up the network, Vodafone is using Big Data solutions to monitor the performance of the network. This ensures that connectivity is consistent and that any areas of improvement are identified.

Safeguarding the future

As well as helping to modernise how people in the town live and work today, the network sets up Bobbio for a brighter future.

“Advanced communication networks are essential for the development of the services necessary to revive our mountains and valleys with remote work, and provide greater safety for citizens and tourists. In turn, this guarantees Bobbio’s attractiveness as a location for families and businesses,” said local mayor Roberto Pasquali.

Bobbio is one of many small towns Vodafone is helping to enter the digital connectivity era. We aim to continually support the adoption of mobile broadband networks in rural areas, to keep all our customers connected.