Telecom Italia : TIM is the first in Europe to launch 4.5G up to 500 Mbps in Rome, Palermo and Sanremo

TIM is the first European operator to offer its business and retail customers in Rome, Palermo and Sanremo speeds of up to 500 Mbps in download on its mobile 4.5G network. The service is available starting today with the new Sony Xperia XZ smartphone, the first compatible smartphone which is an exclusive to TIM.

The record launch confirms TIM's key role in bringing innovation to the ultrabroadband mobile network to meet the increasing demand for super-fast broadband. With the new 4.5G technology on the LTE network, TIM customers in the municipalities of Rome, Palermo and Sanremo where the service is already active, will have access to an ever faster transmission speed, a particularly fluid and stable browsing experience the download of films in high definition in just a few minutes, enjoying full HD and 4K video content on the move on their own device.

TIM customers will also have access to The new Sony Xperia XZ - the first smartphone in Europe that can reach browsing speeds up to 500 Mbps in downlink on TIM's 4.5G network - is available to TIM customers as an exclusive. The smartphone, presented last September at the 2016 IFA, stands out for the specifications of its camera and the Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 820 processor with LTE X12, capable of supporting the new L band and the new coding and modulation techniques introduced on the 4.5G network by TIM to increase performances and offer an increasingly higher quality of service. TIM's retail and business customers with 4G offers who acquire the new Sony device - or compatible devices later - will be able to access the performances permitted up to 500 Mbps freely and automatically.

4.5G represents a new milestone in the Company's technological track towards 5G technology started with LTE and followed by 4GPlus; TIM was first operator in Italy and among the first in Europe to launch the 300 Mbps speed in download available today in 11 big Italian cities (Florence, Bologna, Rome, Milan, Genoa, Turin, Naples, Prato, Verona, Palermo and Bari) - via the 'Three Carrier Aggregation' that relies on the joint use of the 3 frequency bands LTE 800MHz, 1800MHz and 2600MHz. TIM's 4.5G technology uses the so-called L band, a new LTE frequency band of 1500MHz, and, through new coding and modulation techniques and antenna systems evolution it increases the spectral efficiency, meaning the transmission speed at the same available frequencies.

Following Rome, Palermo and Sanremo, where TIM is unique sponsor of the 2017 Italian Song Festival, in the upcoming weeks TIM's 4.5G network will reach to the cities of Naples, Milan and Turin - where TIM already conducted field tests exceeding download speeds of 500 Mbps on a single data connection on the live network as the first operator in Italy - and from next year it will continue in other big cities, already covered by the 300 Mbps service.

'Starting today, our customers will be able to browse on their smartphones at the top speeds available, enjoying for example 4K content on the move without having to compromise on quality. For TIM this represents another significant achievement in the development of offers moving towards 5G,' said Stefano Azzi, Head of Consumer at TIM. 'Thanks to the innovation of our services the user experience will be even more engaging and the solutions and applications proposed will allow customers to access TIMvision and TIMmusic, in addition to all other premium contents. Finally, by collaborating with the leading technological players, we are the first ones in Italy to offer our customers the latest generation devices with cutting-edge technological standards.'

TIM's retail customers will be able to buy Sony Xperia XZ for 699.99 euros or pay monthly instalments of 15 euros (30 months, with an advance payment of 99 euros). For new customers the smartphone is available with the TIM Special Smartphone Edition offer, with monthly instalments of 20 euros (30 months, with an advance payment of 99 euros), 2000 minutes of conversation, 4GB and TIMmusic included for 6 months. For business customers the smartphone is offered at 576 euros (excluding VAT), as well as for hire or hire purchase (24 months without interest at 24 euros/month excluding VAT).

TIM is continuing with the dissemination of '4G Voce,' the service based on VoLTE (Voice Over LTE) technology, available from December for all TIM's prepaid consumer costumers, without additional costs and without changes to their price plan to make calls in HD, use the apps and browse in LTE simultaneously. Customers with enabled smartphones will be able to activate '4G Voce' by responding to the invitation text message, or on www.tim.it, or by contacting 119.

Rome, 15 December 2016