Virtual visits to museums that are thousands of miles away; driving safely thanks to a smartwatch. And more: optimisation of urban mobility and security; Big Data and Artificial Intelligence to help companies better interact with their customers. These are just some of the topics and applications presented today at TIM’s Open Lab in Turin and that will be part of our upcoming “digital life”.
A future made possible by the adoption of 5G networks and innovative technologies, illustrated today by Amos Genish – Chief Executive Officer of TIM – in the presence of Antonello Giacomelli - Undersecretary for the Ministry of Economic Development with responsibility for Communications.
The event has provided knowledge about the vanguard frontiers of the smart life and the challenges businesses and institutions are called on to respond quickly to offer personalised services corresponding to the needs of citizens and customers increasingly connected to the Internet.
TIM plays a leading role in this context placing itself at the centre of the ecosystem for Italy’s digital transformation.
“We are entering the third wave of the Internet transformation. The beginning was about connecting people; then, in the years 2000s when smartphones and tablets came around, the industry focused on capacity. Today, we are at the beginning of the third wave - the one that is about creating the "Gigabit society" based on Giga Networks and Giga Apps, which will affect the economy by increasing efficiency and productivity, as well as improving quality of life and lifestyle”, comments Amos Genish, CEO of TIM. “These changes will rely on three pillars: Artificial Intelligence; Virtual and Augmented Reality; and Robotics - all of which are doubling their performance and halving their price yearly. This, combined with one trillion sensors by 2025 will enable seamless interactions between people, objects and the environment. Such development will trigger a significant digital transformation in every sector and everyone’s life: smart grids, smart and connected buildings, smart homes, e-health and e-education services based on virtual reality, smart cars, virtual shopping and more.”
“To enable the digital transformation”, continues Genish, “Giga Networks are needed that beyond bandwidth and coverage offer adequate speeds for real time applications, high reliability and security to allow the quality of experience needed in a digital world. Along with significant investments, this requires know-how and expertise. As such, TIM is in the best position in Italy to lead the next wave of digital transformation also in light of €4 billions it is already investing – the highest in Italy. In addition, we have a great resource in the TIM Open Lab here in Turin, the second R&D lab in Europe and the first in terms of patents holder in mobile communication. Over 1,000 people work here every day with hundreds of partners – universities, industries, institutions and venture capitals - to develop the open platforms needed to support the third Internet wave.”
“We want to make sure TIM is among the European leaders of the third wave of the Internet revolution, with Italy being in the winning part of Europe. We are committed to continue investments in innovation to be at the front, also by collaborating in developing open platforms and solutions with all stakeholders in the digital ecosystem”, closes the CEO.
“As regards 5G, Italy above all aims to be a hub that creates digital services through our many talents and exports them throughout the world; we cannot simply be a market traversed by the technologies and projects of other countries”, added the Undersecretary Antonello Giacomelli in the final speech at TIM’s Open Lab. “This is why, as part of the European testing of 5G, Italy has put itself forward as a forerunner, choosing not only a city, as required by the European Commission, but relaunching in 5 cities. We have turned not only to telecommunications operators, we have asked for the involvement of universities and research centres and the collaborative assistance of many Italian companies, both large and small, in addition to support from the Public Administration. The aim is to combine supply and demand for connectivity with the development and testing of digital services capable of intercepting the needs of the territories, increasing digital expertise and the capacities of businesses and the public administration to exploit all possibilities. I have had the chance to appreciate the effort and quality of the projects presented by TIM. As a government, we count on the collaboration of private operators to win a challenge that should be tackled with a long-term vision not only for infrastructure but also for innovative services.”
Proving TIM’s excellence in research and testing, examples of virtual reality and immersive technology were illustrated applied e.g. to tourism, allowing guides and visitors to interact in virtual worlds even if in two different parts of the world. Further trials on innovative digital platforms for a more aware and safer driving, providing indications through a smartwatch on the psychological and physical conditions and behaviours of the driver thereby preventing risk situations on the road.
Another scenario relates to the analysis of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, an absolute priority for companies wishing to compete in an increasingly connected and digital context, to offer highly segmented services such as applications for the targeted positioning of digital advertising, geomarketing campaigns and proximity services. Moreover, Artificial Intelligence will enable better assistance to customers 24/7 through dedicated apps and interactive messaging services.
Applications that are useful also for the Public Administration, enabling it to optimise urban mobility and the safety of citizens, offering services based on a person’s position and information on events in the area.
The cognitive platform being tested at TIM’s Open Lab that uses Artificial Intelligence will allow to manage all this more efficiently.
This initiative once again highlights TIM's commitment to R&D. TIM has already launched the 5G project in Turin, Bari and Matera and in the Republic of San Marino, with the aim of speeding up the creation of a new generation mobile network and services.
Turin, 22 November 2017
