Telecom Italia (TIM) has become the second operator to offer commercial 5G services in Italy with the activation of its network in parts of Turin and Rome accompanied by the launch of three new dedicated 5G-ready plans. Vodafone switched on its 5G network in the same two cities and in the Milan metropolitan area, Bologna and Naples on 16 June. “The 5G service, currently being implemented, is at the moment only available in some parts of Turin and Rome,” announced the operator on its website, adding that all of Italy's main cities will be gradually added over time. TIM reached an agreement with Vodafone to share the cost of rolling out new 5G infrastructure throughout Italy earlier this year.
The new consumer plans are called TIM Advance 4.5G, 5G and 5G Top. All three include the possibility of acquiring the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G or Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G smartphones in monthly instalments, with the Oppo Reno 5G to follow shortly. TIM Advance 4.5G comes with unlimited calls and SMS plus 40GB of data at speeds of up to 700Mbps for EUR 19.99 a month, while TIM Advance 5G costs EUR 29.99 a month for unlimited calls and SMS plus 50GB of data at speeds of up to 2Gbps.
The premium TIM Advance 5G Top plan, meanwhile, features unlimited calls and SMS plus 100GB of data at speeds of up to 2Gbps, as well as free access to the TIMgames video game platform until 31 December, for EUR 49.99 a month. Also included are 250 minutes of international calls from Italy to Europe, the US and Canada, extra EU roaming plus the possibility of acquiring a Xiaomi Mi Mix3 5G smartphone at no extra cost over 30 months, or the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G for EUR 10 a month.
Customers on existing plans can sign up to a “5G ON” option at a cost of EUR 10 per month, with the first month free. All plans enable subscribers to view ultra HD 4K video and come with priority access to the network, guaranteeing "maximum performance" while on the move and in the event of network congestion, said TIM.
