Philip Willan

H3G SpA, an Italian third-generation (3G) mobile operator controlled by Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa Ltd., this week demonstrated what the company said was the world's first mobile phone call using UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) technology.

H3G SpA, the Italian third-generation (3G) mobile operator controlled by Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa Ltd., Tuesday demonstrated what the company said was the world

Europe's first large-scale UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) service will be launched in Italy next month using network technology from Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson, Ericsson Italia SpA's Chief Executive Officer Massimo Gentili said Tuesday.

Italy's Blu SpA is likely to become the first European mobile phone operator to be broken up for sale, a company spokesman said Friday, one day after the company presented a formal plan for the disposal of its assets to Communications Minister Maurizio Gasparri.

Italy is drawing up an international plan on e-government for developing countries that will be presented at a United Nations-sponsored conference in Palermo, Italy, April 10 and 11, Italian Innovation and Technology Minister Lucio Stanca said Tuesday. The conference, which will be attended by delegations from at least 57 developing countries, will also discuss specific e-government projects to be financed by the Italian government for the benefit of five Mediterranean and African countries, Stanca said.

The Telecom Italia Group will invest 16 billion euros (US$14 billion) over the next three years in a bid to become Europe's leading telecom operator, Group Chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera said Thursday.

An Italian businessman has designed a multi-SIM mobile phone that he claims will enable users to cut their phone bills up to 30 per cent by switching to the operator offering the most convenient tariff at different times of the day.

Telecom Italia SpA has not been officially informed that executives in the company are under investigation by magistrates in Turin, Italy, the company said in a statement.