• Boldyn Networks and Roma Capitale have signed the agreement to build #Roma5G, the city’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
  • New 5G infrastructure will be able to provide full connectivity in all of Rome’s busiest locations, increase public safety, and enable smart services
  • Boldyn Networks will be working with all industry players for the benefit of all citizens and visitors to Rome
  • Project represents the importance of the Italian market for the expansion of Boldyn’s presence in Europe

12 December 2023 | Rome, Italy

Boldyn Networks (Boldyn), one of the world’s largest neutral host providers, today announced it signed a concession agreement with Roma Capitale, the city’s municipality, to implement #Roma5G. The ambitious project involves the construction, management, operation, and maintenance of a 5G and Wi-Fi infrastructure across Rome. It supports the Mayor’s vision of making Rome a connected, digital, and sustainable smart city at the forefront of European cities.

Rome, a city of roughly three million citizens, will be technologically ready to host some 32 million visitors expected for the Jubilee 2025 celebrations. 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 MNOs.
  • 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 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 municipality (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 our city. The collaboration with Boldyn Networks will allow the creation of a next-gen technological network 5G and Wi-Fi to enable the most advanced digital services. Thanks to this project, Rome will become one of the most advanced smart cities in Europe. We will also enable the city to achieve a reduction in electromagnetic emissions, leveraging a neutral technology open to all mobile operators.

“We are honoured to bring Boldyn Network’s neutral host expertise to this important and cutting-edge project, implementing Roma Capitale’s vision for a leading Smart City. The Roma 5G project opens possibilities, working with the mobile operators, to benefit all Rome’s 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.”

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.