Thursday's cabinet meeting. "The first interventions will start this autumn. The goal is to achieve total coverage for the country. Today we shift from fifth gear and move to sixth: super-fast broadband. This is the future of the country. It is the key. This plan is worth 12 billion: 5 billion from private sources and 7 billion from public funding.
  Of these 12 billion, 2.2 billion will be available immediately, as we have already written the first cheque. All that telecom operators have to do is get involved." Undersecretary for Communications, Antonello Giacomelli, welcomed the approval of the plan. "The government is keeping its commitments on super-fast broadband: today we released the first 2.2 billion and we are committed to a total of 5 billion, which we will add to the 2 billion from European regional funds. The first tenders can be launched as early as this autumn. If private parties get involved, as seemed to be the outcome of a meeting of the telecom operators, the objective of having modern broadband for all Italian citizens by 2020 appears possible". (AGI)