Mamma mia! WINDTRE has introduced Italy’s first 5G StandAlone (SA) network, giving businesses and public institutions access to connectivity that operates independently of legacy 4G infrastructure. Built with network slicing at its core, this wholly new, 5G-native platform lets customers carve out private virtual networks for specific use cases, guaranteeing control over latency, stable connections, security and wide coverage for users without having to invest in dedicated infrastructure. A live sports showcase was able to stream HD video from mobile cameras with 90,000 fans in the crowd, showing how reliably 5G SA can perform when it matters most.

WINDTRE’s NeoConnessi initiative took centre stage at Italy’s Parliament’s Chamber of Deputies, where institutional representatives were present to award the three winning primary school classes of the annual contest. The programme has been helping students since 2018, educating more than 2 million children about responsible tech habits through hands-on projects. The winners were awarded for their imaginative entries showing how young minds can tackle online safety. Without a doubt, these youngsters proved tomorrow’s leaders are already digital savants.

WINDTRE’s digital education initiative, NeoConnessi, has hit TV screens, with a nostalgic campaign directed by Italian film director, Claudio Cupellini. The 75-second film invites viewers to reflect on contemporary digital relationships, highlighting the unprecedented challenge faced by today’s parents – the first generation raising children immersed in digital culture. Backed by the Italian Society of Pediatrics, the state police and psychologists, NeoConnessi has been promoting safe, responsible tech use through free resources, workshops and now national primetime storytelling.  

Behavioural economics is a powerful field of study that brings rigour to understanding how people actually behave when making economic decisions. WINDTRE carefully studies in-person and online behaviour to improve the customer experience at every step of their journey.
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WINDTRE was the official sponsor of the World Skate Games Italia 2024, marking the first time the global roller sports championships were hosted in Italy.

International visitors were also able to activate Tourist Pass, a no-strings-attached 5G mobile plan offering calls and data in Italy and abroad for 30 or 60 days – perfect for staying connected and sharing event highlights on the go.

This partnership underscores WINDTRE’s commitment to connectivity and supporting global sports events.  

WINDTRE has just wrapped up its acquisition of OpNet, the first operator in Europe to build a national standalone 5G network. With this move, WINDTRE plans to offer next-gen 5G and fixed wireless access (FWA) services, helping businesses and public administrations to accelerate their digital transformation.

OpNet will continue to operate under its own brand. Its wholesale customers can expect business as usual but with even better tech. This deal solidifies WINDTRE’s role in bringing cutting-edge solutions to Italy’s wholesale market.

In short, WINDTRE is stepping up its game in the race for digital innovation.  

WINDTRE is collaborating with the Ports of Genoa’s PSA Genoa Pra’ to create a 5G-driven Smart Port. The terminal port will get its own high performance 5G Private Network. The industrial setting demands an ultra-reliable platform which will enable the development and deployment of innovative solutions tied into the PSA Genoa Pra’s databases. Port authorities believe it will contribute to the port’s competitiveness and attractiveness to international shippers.

WINDTRE has acquired 70% of RAD, an Italian cybersecurity firm that serves large and small enterprises. This will help WINDTRE in their objective to offer increasingly advanced and diversified services in the B2B sector to support the digitisation of businesses and public administrations.

WINDTRE is taking a stand against violence directed at women through its support of the SOS LEI Anti-Violence Center at the A. Gemelli IRCCS University Hospital. A collaboration between WINDTRE and the Assolei Association has made this possible. The Center will have a reserved entrance and make privacy a top priority. Gemelli Hospital has a strong tradition of supporting women in need and WINDTRE is proud to support this.

CK Hutchison’s Global Climate Action Conference is the first gathering of business CEOs to share how they are setting targets, taking action and proving their accountability on reducing their carbon footprint. Sphere’s three-part series on the Conference provides a sense of what was covered in depth for over 400 team members at the online event.
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WINDTRE is introducing a new service for customers with the relevant smartphones that allow them to make calls over WiFi. This is distinct from using voice over internet protocol (VOIP) calling through apps using WiFi. It allows for making emergency calls when there is no mobile radio coverage and improves execution time of the call. Users can call people normally on their phone numbers rather than having to depend on using a compatible app the recipient may or may not have. This service will have no fees associated with it and does not require the downloading of additional apps; it just works.

WINDTRE has partnered with iliad in a 50/50 joint venture to manage and accelerate mobile network coverage to people in rural areas in Italy. With relevant government ministry approvals in hand, they are poised to provide 5G and ultra-broadband services to 26.8% of Italians that live in these areas. The new joint venture is named Zefiro Net S.r.l. This is very appropriate for “Wind” Tre; zefiro in Italian means “zephyr” in English: a soft gentle breeze.  

“Connected Villages” is the new initiative to improve the connectivity and capability of people living in rural areas of Italy. Starting in the villages of Valvasone Arzene and Cordovado in the province of Pordenone, the initiative has already reached 24 small towns in less than four months and is expected to expand, supporting the younger generation and elderly people. This includes amplifying and spreading the benefits of earlier WINDTRE programmes such as the NeoConnessi (educating children about responsible online behaviour) and the NeoConnessi Silver project (addressing the needs of senior citizens).

Twelve innovative new companies are going to be welcomed to the House of Emerging Technology of Rome to get a boost from WINDTRE and partners. The House of Emerging Technology will select tech start-ups using AI, blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT) or 5G to address two areas of strategic importance for the city of Rome: mobility and tourism. This partnership is co-financed by the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, select Roman universities and corporate partners including WINDTRE. The House will provide aspiring innovators and citizens with a home to develop and share ideas, test new technologies and transfer acquired knowledge.

WINDTRE is the exclusive “real-world” sales channel in Italy for the new Nothing Phone (1). This unique phone has a transparent casing embodying both the literal and metaphorical values of transparency. The frame uses 100% recycled aluminium and 50% recycled plastic. Global lifestyle leader Wallpaper called the phone “a radical re-interpretation of mobile tech” – and WINDTRE is the only place you can see before you buy.  

It’s simple to say 5G: faster, better. WINDTRE is working with Ericsson to deploy a 5G Core for Standalone so it can deliver new services to consumers and businesses using massive bandwidth and ultra-low latency. Network slicing is an innovation that will allow artificial intelligence (AI) to configure the network to ensure services use the right configuration (e.g. low or high bandwidth, super-fast or just fast enough) to make the most of the network, with not an iota of bandwidth wasted. The 5G Core sits on a cloud infrastructure that will deliver cutting-edge services to Italians for years to come.

Mr Victor TK Li, Chairman of CK Group, was bestowed the honour of Grand Officer of the Order of the Star of Italy by the President of the Italian Republic, H.E. Sergio Mattarella for his outstanding contributions to the Italian economy, and for his achievements in promoting friendly relations as well as in fostering business ties between Italy and Hong Kong. 

CK Group is one of the largest foreign investors in Italy. The Group has been investing in the country since 2003 with over 7,000 employees and businesses that include WINDTRE, an integrated communications company; Marionnaud, Europe’s leading perfumeries and cosmetics retailer; and ista, a leading fully integrated energy management services provider.

Mr Li Ka-shing, Senior Advisor of CK Group had been honoured with the Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2005.

Parents and children are getting Internet savvy with WINDTRE’s help. They have launched the first webinar of the new edition of the NeoConnessi educational project that will sensitise young people to use the Internet safely and responsibly. Digital context, security measures and strategies are explained so that parents can also help their children to become competent at navigating online risks. The webinar, “Digital Growth: All the Opportunities of the Internet, in Safety” brings together police, government officials and sector experts to present clear guidance for families.

WINDTRE’s supplier is recycling the insides of old refrigerators into SIM cards called ‘Eco-SIMS’. The process guarantees a carbon-neutral certification for these cards made of 100% recycled material. The SIM card packaging is produced from FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified recycled paper and is part of a wide range of eco-friendly measures that permeate WINDTRE operations.  

Citroën’s new 100% electric-powered quadricycle is targeted at the environmentally conscious youth market. It now comes with an exclusive “GIGAMI” package developed by WINDTRE. The package includes unlimited minutes and gigabytes in 5G and 200 SMS messages. Green, connected and mobile: it’s the new Italian style for the 21st century!  

WINDTRE is committed to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established in 2015 to improve the quality and sustainability of life on earth. Their progress in advancing these universal principles is documented in WINDTRE’s latest Sustainability Report 2020 that records achievements and sets goals to 2030. The ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) objectives are aligned with the UN’s 17 SDGs and supported by the UN Global Compact. Objectives are considered under the four major categories of education, responsibility, inclusion and the contribution of Information and Communication Technology to the environment and quality of life. 

WINDTRE surveyed staff to generate new policies that reflect their desire for smart working across the company, provoking deep thinking about how to enable productive work in the post-pandemic era. This new flexible model includes technological tools supported with training and the establishment of a new collaborative framework: “We-etiquette” encouraging online collaboration while respecting work–life balance and the right to disconnect.

The WINDTRE connectivity juggernaut rolls on, bringing super-fast Internet to Modena, Imperia, Tuscany, Lazio, Frosinone, Lombardy, Nuoro and Sardinia. Fiber-to-the-Home and ‘Super Fibra’ services bring unlimited Internet access at 1 GB speeds to homes and businesses, delivering much-needed connection during the COVID-19 work-from-home and home study period.

WINDTRE and 3 Ireland were both winners of the Ookla Speedtest Award as the fastest operators in their respective countries. WINDTRE’s network was named the fastest in Italy in 2020, and 3 Ireland picked up the pace in the second half of the year to overtake competitors in its home country. Ookla, the Seattle company behind Speedtest, is the global leader in fixed broadband and mobile network testing applications, data and analysis.