PNRR: RESTART, the most important project for the evolution of telecommunications in Italy, has been launched. The Sant'Anna School is involved as a partner through the activities of three research groups of the TeCIP Institute
The RESTART project (an acronym for RESearch and innovation on future Telecommunications systems and network, to make Italy more smart) starts with a Kickoff Meeting at the Politecnico di Milano. RESTART, the extended partnership funded with PNRR resources, represents the largest national telecommunications project, with an investment of 116 million euros and 25 partners including universities, research organizations and companies. The project counts as general coordinator Nicola Blefari Melazzi, professor at the University of Rome Tor Vergata (Project Proponent), and as scientific coordinator Antonio Capone, professor at the Politecnico di Milano. The Sant'Anna School is participating with three research groups from the TeCIP (Telecommunications, Computer Engineering, and Photonics) Institute: Piero Castoldi, director of the Institute and professor of Telecommunications, is coordinating the project covering the evolution of terrestrial optical networks and systems and integrated photonics; Ernesto Ciaramella, professor of Telecommunications, is coordinating the activities of wireless optical communications for space; and Antonella Bogoni, professor of Telecommunications, is in charge of the cross-functional mission of the Laboratories and Proof of Concept.
The composition of the extended partnership
The partners involved in RESTART are 12 universities (Sant'Anna School, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Polytechnic University of Bari, Polytechnic University of Milan, Polytechnic University of Turin, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, University Of Catania, University of Florence, University of Naples "Federico II", University of Padua, University Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria, University of Rome La Sapienza), 3 national research organizations (Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario Per Le Telecomunicazioni, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Fondazione Ugo Bordoni) and 10 private organizations (Open Fiber S. p.A., Prysmian S.p.A., Athonet S.R.L., Tiesse S.p.A., Wind Tre S.p.A., Vodafone Italia S.p.A., Tim Italia S.p.A., Italtel S.p.A., Ericsson Telecomunicazioni S.p.A. and Leonardo S.p.A.).
The project is included in the Major Partnerships, was approved by the MUR in August 2022 and has a duration of 3 years. RESTART's main objective is to help outline the evolution of Telecommunications in Italy, aiming to revive a sector that has professionalism and experience at the level of world excellence, devoting itself to the main themes of Telecommunications science and technology, including all types of related systems and networks, for human and non-human users; high-capacity fixed networks; 5G/6G cellular networks; local area networks; satellite networks; the Internet; and applications and services in the most diverse sectors: agriculture, commerce, energy, finance, industry, media, health, security, and transportation. RESTART aims, therefore, to contribute in numerous areas related to telecommunications, from distributed clouds to artificial intelligence, via opto-electronics and sensor technology
