The government's vision is inclusive and innovative.
The Ministry of Commerce & Innovation is taking initiatives to redefine the future of terrestrial digital television broadcasting. With a €5 million commitment, Italy will promote the development of 5G Broadcast technology, an innovative standard that brings media directly to mobile devices – no SIM card or subscription required. This move is believed to represent a major change in how we think about television, how content becomes more accessible and flexible for users.
The €5 million funding will be awarded over two years – €3 million in 2025 and €2 million in 2026 – to support a wide range of projects that will bring together telecoms network operators, SMEs, audiovisual media providers and educational institutions.
A key feature of this initiative is the emphasis on partnership. Selected projects must include 5G network operators as well as collaborators such as start-ups and educational institutions, ensuring a synergy between technological progress and social impact. This inclusive approach reflects a growing realization that meaningful innovation requires a cross-sector effort that benefits both industry and society. The publicly open selection process is managed by the telecom authority Direzione generale per il digitale e le telecomunicazioni.
Italy's interest in 5G Broadcast is not new; The public service company Rai has been testing this technology in Turin and the Aosta Valley since 2018. The tests demonstrated the potential of 5G Broadcast to offer viewers a more interactive and immersive experience, setting the agenda for a new era of high-performance television services over mobile devices. Now tests are also being done in Rome.
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