28-30 June 2019, Bagnaia (SI) – During the annual Tim Top Clients Meeting, 5G Tim was launched in Italy. Also present at the event was our Secretary, Giovanni Fazio. As soon he came back, our President Angelo Bozza asked him the following.
ANGELO: Giovanni, what are you bringing home from this meeting?
GIOVANNI: Well, Angelo, when you go to this kind of events, you always fear that the commercial and self-congratulatory aspect is predominant. I must say this was not the approach at all.
Indeed, it was a very easy meeting, with plenty of room for socialization, expertly orchestrated by TIM’s management that involved and presented the participants and stimulated conversations. Particular mention for Albanese, very skilled. Moreover, the presentation part took place only on Saturday morning, when after a brief introduction of the Top Management present – Forina, la Romano, D’Angelo, etc. – we were accompanied to see some applications related to 5G. I will tell you … I would have liked to see some more!
ANGELO: and what was interesting about it?
GIOVANNI: interesting … well everything was interesting! For personal preferences I mention the wireless robotics presented by COMAU and the Seikey drones with bays laserscan to model the ground with a 2 mm resolution! Seeing two twin COMAU robots moving, controlled via 5G synchronously and perfectly was a show! We are talking about revolutionizing the automation industry, removing 90% of the cables that currently clutter and limit the range of the robots from the factory. Of course, for certain processes where the commands have to arrive in microseconds, the cable is still necessary, but if we talk about milliseconds, the 5G has been tested to be ok.
The drones, on the other hand, do not affect your imagination there … we see so many now … but if you think that the drone commands will no longer have to travel on disturbing frequencies but on those reserved for 5G, without worrying about transmission networks and any repeaters … well, they will become drones with sim. Obviously, then the application of BIM with a 2mm restitution leaves you speechless. Rebuilding valleys or reliefs at that resolution makes it possible to predict the areas of flooding, to accurately calculate the probability of landslides, etc. I think that imagination is the only limit to the use of these systems.
ANGELO: and what about the speeches? Something interesting?
GIOVANNI: Romano – TIM Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, ed – has focused a lot on the slicing characteristics of the 5G network. Which I hadn’t considered. Being able to dedicate certain bandwidth to users who require it (bandwith on demand), with an ad hoc commercial offer, which can be activated online, perhaps in a limited period of time, is really a big news in the ecosystem wireless, with great prospects, in my opinion. And then Forina – TIM Chief Revenue Office, ed – it was very frank: the 5G operation in Italy is economically a challenge to shake the legs of even a large company like TIM. Due to the very high cost of purchasing frequencies and what it will take to deploy the network, returns will only be measured after a few quarters.
ANGELO: But then when will we see all the features of 5G in a widespread way?
GIOVANNI: Between a glass of Chianti and a Cinta Senese, barriers fall down and tongues melt … I think that to see a 5G capillary coverage like 4G we will have to wait for the first months of 2022.
ANGELO: Can I see some photos of the event?
GIOVANNI: I’m sorry, Angelo. Beyond my photos in the pool – which I don’t give you anyway – we were asked not to give them and I followed the rules.