TIM talks up Turin 5G

Telecom Italia (TIM) has released more details of its plans to launch Italy’s first 5G network in the northern city of Turin. The telco confirmed in December that Turin would be its first 5G market, and it now says that it will be installing its first 100 5G-ready small cells in the city’s main streets and squares as early as end-2017 under a newly-signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with local authorities. TIM then expects to launch its first 5G technology trial in an urban environment in 2018, using a further 200 ultra-broadband mobile sites, with the aim of covering the entire city with a 5G network by 2020. TIM has selected Turin as its 5G test-bed as this is the location of its main research and development centre.