Tratos, Italy’s leading manufacturer of optical fibre and copper telecom cables and energy and special cables, has signed a deal to guarantee optical fibre supplies for the development of ultra-broadband and FTTH networks in Italy and abroad.
With more than 20 years experience in optical fibre technology, Tratos has entered into an agreement that will see Prysmian, world leader in the energy and telecom cable systems industry, supply standard and special optical fibre to Tratos. The fibre will be manufactured at Prysmian’s Fibre Ottiche Sud plant in Battipaglia, Italy.
The levels of supply are expected to increase as greater needs are generated by the Italian government’s plans to develop the country’s own ultra-broadband network.
Growth prospects in Italy’s broadband network have been boosted with investments in FTTH and next-generation technologies (5G) by manufacturers and the Ministry of Economic Development.
The European Commission’s Digital Agenda 2025 set a goal of 2025 for connections of at least one Gigabit per second.
Increased download speed is marked out by the Agenda for all schools, libraries, research centres and public administration offices. The Agenda goes on to target uninterrupted 5G coverage in all urban areas for all European households, and connections that offer download speeds of at least 100 Mbps in rural and urban areas (which can be upgraded to Gigabit speeds).
Fibre optic networks are currently the only possible technological solution to achieve these ambitious targets.
Albano Bragagni, Chairman and President of Tratos, commented: “The agreement between our company and Prysmian Group is founded on a strong desire for an ongoing, long-term partnership, supported by the experience and mutual esteem built on the two companies’ 30+ year relationship, with the aim of making a shared contribution to Italy’s digital development and growth.”
Tratos’s Vice President Ennio Bragagni added: “This partnership highlights the importance of collaboration for the growth of Italy’s broadband network. As a company with UK interests too, we would like to hope there will be a similar development of the country’s ultrabroadband and FTTH networks soon. There is a real opportunity to get Britain back on track, and among those at the head of the list of economies benefitting from high speed broadband. The country has had to wait for the break-up of a monopoly in order to move forward, but with enlightened manufacturers creating partnerships like this one, the speed of the change could increase, and that can only be good for business and public sector organisations.”
Carlo Scarlata, Chief Commercial Officer at Prysmian Cavi e Sistemi Italia said: “This contract represents an important collaboration between the two major Italian firms producing passive telecommunications components. This is a way for Italy to show that it can act independently in building the infrastructure needed to achieve European goals.”
This agreement showcases Italy’s technological expertise and production capacity to develop broadband telecommunications network projects fundamental to the development and increased competitiveness across Europe.
Tratos is one of Europe’s largest independent cable manufacturers. The company has five manufacturing facilities in Italy and the UK, employing people around the world producing electrical, electronic and fibre optic cable solutions.
