WIND, the leading integrated fixed-mobile-Internet communications services operator

Founded in 1997, WIND Telecomunicazioni SpA is one of the few operators in Europe to offer integrated fixed and mobile telecommunication services and Internet services. WIND is the third largest Italian mobile operator, with 20.8 million subscribers as of September 30, 2011. WIND is also the leading alternative provider of fixed-line services in Italy with more than 3.09 million voice customers, of which 2.35 million direct subscribers, and 2.07 million broadband customers as of September 30, 2011.

WIND was the first Italian operator to launch MMS and video over GPRS handsets: one of the earliest services to be made available was the first ever pocket news broadcast via videostreaming. WIND was the first in Italy to launch a trading on line service via WAP. New technologies such as WAP and GPRS, UMTS, make a substantial contribution to the creation of new services and applications. WIND offers a particularly wide range of data transmission and Internet services, capable of satisfying the needs of all segments of the corporate market. In February 2001, WIND became the first alternative operator of fixed-line telephony in Italy to provide access to local loop unbundling, offering the possibility to make fixed-line calls without the need to pay any form of line rental. WIND was the first Italian operator, in May 2002, to launch Number Portability, enabling customers to switch operator whilst keeping their existing telephone number.

In fixed-line telephony, WIND confirmed its status as the leading alternative to the former incumbent for the activation of a new telephone line. By directly choosing Infostrada as their operator, without involving Telecom, from November 2005 users have been able to set up a new line at a highly competitive price. In 2006 WIND expanded its convergent fixed-Internet product offering, with the introduction of Libero Absolute ADSL, offering bundled domestic calls with only a call-set up charge and a broadband Internet connection for a flat monthly rate.In October 2005 WIND launched the ADSL2+ access network, a new technology offering a considerable increase in connection speed and quality and, consequently, a marked improvement in the fruition of services, especially of the multimedia type, such as audio and video applications.

The WIND Group has a best in class network: more than 21,000 kilometres of optical fibre backbone to 4,440 kilometres of MAN. The company also boasts an extensive and innovative mobile network consisting of more than 12,598 radio base stations and more than 9,000 Node B related to the UMTS coverage. Coverage outside Italy is provided by more than 450 roaming agreements.