The port of Brindisi will also be more connected to the network: memorandum of understanding with the Ministry

In recent days, the Southern Adriatic Sea Port System Authority (Adspmam) and the Ministry of Tourism have signed a memorandum of understanding for the commissioning, activation and management of wireless access devices to be installed in the ports of Bari, Barletta, Brindisi, Manfredonia, Monopoli and Termoli, identified as Points Of Interest (Poi) as part of the “Wi-Fi by Italia.it” intervention, financed with resources from the Development and Cohesion Plan of the Ministry of Tourism, thematic area “Competitiveness and Business” – “Tourism and hospitality” sector of intervention.

According to the agreements contained in the document, the Ministry will provide for the installation and maintenance of Wi-Fi equipment, the management of 5G and/or fiber optic data traffic and the provision of consultancy and assistance services. While, Adspmam will make suitable premises and areas chosen for the installation of technological equipment available to the operator in charge, Fastweb spa, on free loan and for non-exclusive use; also guaranteeing, for the entire duration of the intervention, the supply of electrical power of adequate power and supervision of the equipment to prevent damage or theft.

Furthermore, at the end of the intervention, the port authority will integrate all the new installations with its other systems, partly already existing and partly to be built as part of a Pac 2014/2020 project currently being implemented, with a national network WiFi by Italia, in such a way as to make the port areas of the system almost completely covered by the service. This targeted effort will guarantee not only tourists and passengers in transit, but also operators and concessionaires to be able to benefit free of charge from a cutting-edge technological infrastructure that will be able to optimize port operations and improve the overall user experience .

“This project represents a fundamental step in the technological revolution that we are carrying out in our ports – comments the president of Adspmam Ugo Patroni Griffi – We will connect our system directly with the national system. In fact, a user with only one authorization for the national Wifi by Italia network will be able to move around all the areas covered by the project, always enjoying free internet connection. We will offer a great service, especially to foreign tourists who often have SIM cards which in Italy do not ensure internet connectivity, unless they pay additional, often expensive costs. In Mam ports, however, you can stay freely connected to the network with any smartphone. For operators and concessionaires, the benefits will be significant: they will be able to benefit from a reliable and very fast platform for communications and port operations. I warmly thank the Ministry of Tourism – concludes the president – who has chosen to accept our request to include Monopoli, Manfredonia and Barletta in the network of ports initially selected, namely Bari, Brindisi and Termoli”.

The first part of the project will be completed approximately by summer 2025 and will involve an investment of around 500 thousand euros, a sum which will be covered half by the port authority and half by the Ministry of Tourism.