Vodafone Business and Snam Forge Italy’s First Hybrid 5G Mobile Private Network for Energy Sector

Vodafone Business and Snam Forge Italy’s First Hybrid 5G Mobile Private Network for Energy Sector

(IN BRIEF) Vodafone Business and Snam, a leading natural gas infrastructure company in Europe, have entered into an agreement to establish a private 5G hybrid network infrastructure integrated into the Vodafone network, covering Snam’s 23 plants across Italy. This marks Italy’s first hybrid 5G mobile private network in the energy sector. The network will enable simultaneous connections of numerous devices and facilitate innovative solutions to accelerate Italy’s energy transition. These solutions include field sensors, cameras, remote diagnostics, augmented reality, and virtual reality tools for plant monitoring, technician training, and remote assistance. The hybrid infrastructure will enhance 4G and 5G coverage for both the public and Snam personnel within the plants, ensuring data security and segregation. This initiative aligns with Vodafone’s commitment to environmental sustainability, having achieved its zero greenhouse gas emissions target ahead of schedule by using 100% renewable energy in its network since November 2020.

(PRESS RELEASE) MILAN, 18-Oct-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — Vodafone Business and Snam have signed an agreement for a private 5G hybrid network infrastructure which will be integrated into the Vodafone network and thus available throughout Italy. It is the first hybrid 5G mobile private network in the domestic energy sector.

The new infrastructure will provide dedicated coverage in Snam’s 23 plants throughout the country as Europe’s leading operator in natural gas transportation, storage and regasification. 5G technology will allow a large number of devices to be connected simultaneously and will enable innovative services and solutions, thus accelerating the energy transition in Italy.

These include field sensors such as pressure, vibration and other meters capable of locally collecting large amounts of data and sending it to the control centre; cameras and intrusion sensors; applications for remote diagnostics and plant monitoring; augmented reality and virtual reality solutions for technician training and remote assistance.

The hybrid infrastructure will improve fast 4G and 5G coverage both to the local population through the public network and to Snam personnel inside the plants, thanks to the implementation of dedicated coverage with the guarantee of the highest security standards in data transmission and segregation.

“The 5G network infrastructure we are announcing with Snam enhances all the advantages of this technology: ultra-wide bandwidth, low latency, the ability to collect an extraordinary amount of data and, last but not least, given the crucial importance of the sector in which Snam operates, security, “affirms Alessandro Magnino, Head of Global Enterprise at Vodafone Business Italy. “We are excited to announce the first private 5G hybrid network in the domestic energy sector, which is also one of Vodafone’s most extensive MPNs across Europe, with its dedicated coverage in Snam’s 23 plants across the country. This project allows us to make our solid contribution to driving the energy transition in Italy.”

“The solution Vodafone is proposing to us combines the benefits of public and private 5G, guaranteeing us high levels of performance, availability and reliability, which are necessary in order to take our advanced solutions, including drones, IoT, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, where they are needed,” said Giorgio Veronesi, Executive Director of Digital Technology and Innovation at Snam.

Innovation and security

The network architecture that Vodafone Business is building for Snam is engineered to guarantee high reliability when it comes to the transmission of data collected at individual plants; it is a resilient and secure network that allows data traffic to be correctly and promptly managed even in the presence of critical situations. It also features an innovative configuration whereby a Vodafone MPN SIM card enabled to use private and public data services (calls and data) in one of the 23 sites covered by the 5G network infrastructure will work even if there is only Vodafone public mobile network coverage, and therefore no private MPN coverage. This functionality will allow Snam to take advantage of a service extended to the whole Vodafone network nationwide with the highest degree of flexibility for its users and applications.

Sustainability and the energy transition

Snam builds energy infrastructures and offers integrated services with the mission of leading the evolution of the energy sector through the most innovative sustainable energy network by which it guarantees stable supplies to Europe and enables the energy transition. With its 80 years of experience in the development and management of networks and plants, Snam guarantees security of supply and promotes energy transition with investments in green gas (biomethane and hydrogen), energy efficiency and CCS (carbon capture and storage) technology.

Vodafone Italy has beaten its own zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 target and has been supplying its network with 100% renewable energy by obtaining energy produced from certified renewable sources for its own network and for its offices as early as November 2020, thus placing itself ahead of even Vodafone’s already ambitious global targets.

Media Contact:

Vodafone Italy:
ufficio.stampa@mail.vodafone.it ufficio.stampa@mail.vodafone.it

Snam:
ufficio.stampa@snam.it

www.vodafone.it
www.snam.it

SOURCE: Snam SPA