Fonte:
http://www.windgroup.it/download/investitori/bilanci_eng/WIND_GR_122012_ENG_disclaimer.pdf
The Internet Mobile Offer has become increasingly important in the strategies and commercial proposals of
Operators, who during the year strengthened the network to arrive at coverage of the majority of the country with
42 Mbps connections and the launch of LTE services in December. All Operators extended their product portfolio, in
particular regarding Internet navigation devices (Smartphones and Tablets), Internet keys and 3G Wi-Fi modems for
navigating at up to 42 Mbps.
International Roaming
WIND customers are able to use their mobile telephone services, including SMS, MMS and data services (GPRS,
EDGE, 3G, HSDPA), where available, in other countries through roaming facilities guaranteed by agreements with
467 international operators in 205 different countries.
NETWORK
WIND has developed an integrated network infrastructure providing high-capacity transmission capabilities and
extensive coverage throughout Italy. As of December 31, 2012, WIND mobile network covered 99.82% of the Italian
population while WIND UMTS/HSPA network covered 95.34% of the Italian population.
WIND started the coverage of HSPA service (21/5.8 Mbps) in all capitals cities already covered by the 14.4/5.8 Mbps
service (currently 74 capitals cities have been covered).
At the end of 2012 WIND cover about 70% of the population with HSPA service (21/5.8 Mbps) Mobile and fixed-line
networks are supported by 21.622 kilometers of fiber optic cable backbone in Italy and 4735 kilometers of fiber optic
cable MANs as of December 31, 2012. The network uses a common system platform, WIND ‘‘intelligent network,’’ for
both mobile and fixed-line networks. Network platform has been upgraded to provide it with a uniform IP network
platform, which provides additional capacity. The integrated nature of operations allows to offer subscribers mobile,
fixed-line and Internet product bundles and VAS. WIND has also approximately 467 roaming agreements with other
Italian and international telecommunications operators around the world.
Fixed-Line Network
WIND fixed-line network consists of an extensive fiber optic transport network with over 21.622 kilometers of
transmission backbone, 4.735 kilometers of fiber optic cable MANs linking all capitals of Italian provinces and other
major cities in Italy, a radio transmission network with approximately 16.375 radio links in operation. The voice
switching network consists of a NGN/IMS network composed by 37 softswitch 4 Media Gateway Controller and 42
Trunking Gateway. From June 2010 this network is supported by a new C4 NGN network that consists of 2 Media
Gateway Controller e 14 Media Gateway. The national network is supported by NGN (Next Generation Network)
dedicated to interconnection with international operator composed
by 2 Media Gateway Controller and 6 Trunking Gateway. WIND is
able to handle all the traffic on proprietary backbone infrastructure,
with little need to rent additional capacity from third parties
As of December 31, 2012 WIND has 1.455 LLU sites for direct
subscriber connections, with a capacity of approximately 3.25
million lines. WIND has interconnections with 613 SGUs, which
allows to provide carrier pre-selection and carrier selection access
forindirect subscribers throughout Italy, as well as WLR services.
WIND Internet network consists of an aggregated data network
with more than 168 points of presence, broadband remote access
servers for ADSL direct and indirect access Internet services and for
virtual private network corporate services, more than 10 network
access servers for dial-up access Internet services and EDGE
routers for direct Internet access corporate services.
Mobile Network
WIND offers mobile services through dual band GSM-900 and
GSM-1800 digital mobile network, which also supports GPRS, a
mobile technology that provides greater bandwidth for data
transmission and Internet access than GSM. GSM network also
supports EDGE capabilities. EDGE is an upgraded technology
that enables to offer increased data speeds and VAS over GSM
network and also to reduce the cost of handling mobile data
traffic. WIND also offers mobile services over UMTS network, a
mobile technology that provides even greater bandwidth than
GSM network, using HSDPA technology to provide enhanced
speeds for data transmission and mobile Internet services.
The following table provides an analysis of WIND’s GSM/GPRS and UMTS/HSDPA networks as of December 31, 2012.
GSM/GPRS Units
Radiating sites 13,593
BSC (Base Station Controllers) 318
MSC (Mobile Switching Centers) 53
HLR (Home Location Register) 10
SGSN (Service GPRS Support Node) 12
GGSN (Gateway GPRS Support Node)* 12
UMTS
Node B 11,881
RNC (Radio Network Controller) 56
MSC-Server 14
MGW (mediagateway) 16
SGSN (Service GPRS Support Node) 15 (12 SGSN dual access)
* shared with UMTS core network
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
In order to select the best technologies and best architectural solutions for the mobile and fixed networks, WIND has
focused on the study and experimentation of new solutions to increase performance for broadband customers for
mobile and fixed network. On the mobile network, WIND has developed the new technologies roll-out to enable the
provision of broadband services to 42 Mbit / s through the gradual inclusion of all the features provided by HSPA
(High Speed Packet Access). To support the development of mobile broadband WIND was granted new frequencies
for LTE and got 10MHz FDD (Frequency Division Duplexing) in the 800 MHz band and 20MHz FDD-band 2600MHz.
With these frequencies WIND will extend the range and capacity of mobile data services providing indoor coverage
and rural area coverage with 800MHz frequencies and the maximum performance, currently achievable with LTE,
with 20MHz acquired in 2600Mhz band. The development of mobile broadband HSPA and LTE involves the use of
new generation technologies such as the Single RAN (i.e. a single infrastructure for the various 2G, 3G, LTE radio
technologies) which is now the reference for the WIND network as well as the constant expansion of fiber optic
backhauling BTS and IP high-capacity radio links.
On the fixed access network, WIND has carried out continuous technical and economic studies and tested the new
technologies that will allow the development of ultra high speed fiber networks (Fiber To The Home, Fiber to the
Building, Fiber to the mobile). In particular WIND has started a significant FTTH trial in Milan and it has planned the
commercial FTTH roll-out in 2013. WIND has continued its own path in new technologies selection and network
implementation in order to simplify and optimize the network architecture to a global "all-IP" paradigm which
includes all levels of network (fixed, mobile, and core transport).
Throughout the year 2012, confirming its vocation, through its WIND Innovation Lab (WIL) centre of excellence, the
“workshop of ideas and projects, WIND encourages the introduction of solutions designed to improve the Group’s
offering and business potential, as well as some internal processes optimisation. In 2012, in order to improve
Customer Care processes and in terms of retail sales process improvement, we realized “proof of concept” studies.
Throughout the year 2012 WIL actively participated in various research projects, thus exploiting the funding
opportunities available from the European Community, as well as from local Public Administrations.
The issues of greatest attention are the following:
1. Solutions for sustainable mobility using data from mobile network and from sensors deployed on the
network for applications of geo-location, security, traffic planning, applications for sustainable tourism
2. Solutions for security management for data access using mobile terminals according to the new “BYOD”
(Bring Your Own Device) model
3. Solutions for control and supervision of the territory
4. Green ICT solutions above all for Green Data Centers realized according to the new rules for the energy
saving both by the use of new equipment as well as the new optimized processes for the production and
the management of the data center also involving the energy providers.
5. Analysis of the new FI (Future Internet) and IoT (Internet of Things) approaches to cope with thousands of
applications cooperating together.
