NEWS
Vodafone Italy acquires
spectrum for 5G services
BluJay acquires
Italian customs
solution
provider, ERA
System
B
luJay Solutions, a leading provider of
supply chain software and services
powered by the world’s first Global Trade
Network, has announced an agreement to
purchase ERA System, a leading provider
of customs solutions to the Italian market.
With this acquisition, BluJay extends its
position as the global leader for integrated
customs solutions.
“The global, multi-country customs platform
is becoming a reality. We are fortunate to
have a dynamic and dedicated team like
ERA join us in this journey,” said Doug Braun,
CEO, BluJay Solutions.
V
odafone Italy has acquired
spectrum to enable the deployment
of new 5G technology for a total cost
of €2.4 billion. The spectrum will deliver
substantial network operating cost
efficiencies to meet the expected future
growth in data traffic.
The spectrum acquired in the auction
hosted by the Ministry of Economic
Development comprises:
• 3700 MHz – 80 MHz for €1,685
million, available from January 1, 2019
with a licence duration of 19 years
• 700 MHz – 2 x 10 MHz FDD
(Frequency Division Duplexing) for
€683 million, available from July 2022
with a licence duration of 15.5 years
• 26 GHz – 200 MHz for €33 million,
available from January 1, 2019 with a
licence duration of 19 years
The 3700 MHz spectrum acquired can be
immediately utilised by Vodafone Italy to
enhance coverage, improve capacity and
for the rapid development of 5G services.
When it is available from 2022, the
700 MHz spectrum will be used to
deploy enhanced 5G services, providing
nationwide coverage at very high speed
10
INTELLIGENTCIO
and very low latency for next-generation
applications including IoT, Virtual and
Augmented Reality, connected vehicles
and robotics.
Vodafone can also use the 26 GHz
spectrum acquired to deliver high-
capacity services in densely populated
locations such as city centres, sports
stadiums or industrial plants.
Vodafone is also leading 5G trials
promoted by the Ministry for Economic
Development in Milan and its
metropolitan area, with the aim of
transforming Milan into the 5G capital
of Europe. Vodafone expects to have
already achieved coverage of 80%
of Milan and its metropolitan area by
December 2018.
Raffaele Oneto, ERA’s CEO and Founder,
added: “By joining BluJay, not only are we
able to expand our solution offering to
our customers, but we can also bring new
capabilities and services to them as well. We
are thrilled to be part of BluJay.”
“BluJay makes the world a smaller place
and enables secure, fast and efficient
global supply chains,” said Doug Surrett,
Chief Product Strategist at BluJay. “Adding
ERA to the BluJay family demonstrates our
commitment to create friction-free borders
around the world.”
Vodafone Group CEO, Nick Read,
said: “Auctions should be designed to
balance fiscal requirements with the
need for investment to enable economic
development. Telecoms is the sector that
enables all other sectors to participate in
the Gigabit society.
“It is critical that European governments
avoid artificial auction constructs which fail
to strike a healthy balance for the industry.”
www.intelligentcio.com