Italian lawmakers propose free Wi-Fi to reduce digital divide with Europe

Lawmakers in Italy have put forward a proposal to enable free Wi-Fi in thousands of public places to diminish the digital divide with other European countries in broadband penetration, e-government and other digital services.

The plan would require large shops, taxis, airports, law courts and other public areas to set up an Internet connection and offer no-password wireless access for free.

"We really are badly placed when it comes to Internet access," said Sergio Boccadutri, a member of the ruling Democratic Party and sponsor of the proposal. He added that, "Free Wi-Fi would have a big cultural impact and help the economy recover, starting from industries such as tourism," referring to the drag on Italy's economy cause by the lack of digital services.

Filed last week, the proposal has already gained the support of more than 100 members of parliament and would designate 5 million euros over three years as a contribution to buying equipment. The proposers aim to bring the bill before parliament by mid-2015.

According to a report earlier this month by Milan's Politecnico university, high prices and the lack of access infrastructure are the main obstacles to households using the Internet. The study showed that penetration of broadband services with a speed over 30 Megabits per second in Italy is lower than 1 percent, below the European average of 6 percent.

by Kevin Andrews

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