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Italy to Test Starlink Satellite Internet in Remote Areas
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- The Italian government is considering providing Starlink services in remote areas across the country
- Undersecretary Alessio Butti confirmed Starlink as an alternative to the plan to optimize and improve internet speed
- Italy wants to reach internet speeds of at least 1 gigabit per second by 2026.
Italy plans to test satellite internet with Starlink to offer internet services in remote areas across the country.
According to Reuters , government officials discussed the Starlink project this Tuesday during a ministerial meeting on technology on Lake Como, as confirmed by Alessio Butti, Undersecretary to the Prime Minister’s Office to the Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore.
“We’re assessing with Starlink and other players the possibility of complementing existing infrastructure with satellites for the most remote areas,” said Butti.
Butti explained that multiple alternatives have been discussed in order to reduce delays and improve current services provided by companies with fiber plans.
“In reference to Starlink in particular, we’re currently speaking to some regions – in the north, center, and south of the country – to test a ‘space-based service’ for remote areas or areas without terrestrial infrastructure,” added the undersecretary.
The government’s goal is to guarantee that homes and businesses across the country will have internet speeds of 1 gigabit per second by 2026.
“The Italy at 1 Giga scheme is a key element of our commitments under the post-pandemic recovery plan, and we’re aware of the importance of reaching the target set for 2026,” Butti said.
According to Decode39 , in June, Starlink reached an agreement with the company Telespazio in Italy to distribute services and was praised by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Elon Musk’s company has been providing services in this country since September 2021 .
Starlink keeps expanding across the globe, and recently launched a portable satellite internet antenna for backpackers called Starlink Mini.
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Microsoft AI Vice President Sebastien Bubeck To Join OpenAI
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- Sebastien Bubeck leaves Microsoft after 10 years to join OpenAI.
- Bubeck led Microsoft’s efforts on small, efficient language and vision AI models.
- OpenAI has faced recent staff turnover, including CTO Mira Murati’s departure.
Microsoft Corp. has announced that one of its AI vice presidents, Sebastien Bubeck, is leaving the company to join OpenAI, a move making headlines across the tech industry.
Bubeck, a 10-year veteran at Microsoft, had been leading efforts on small language models aimed at rivaling larger AI systems in terms of efficiency and effectiveness, notes Bloomberg .
Bubeck was instrumental in developing Microsoft’s Phi models—extra-small language and vision models designed to optimize AI applications on edge devices.
As markets shift towards on-device AI models that offer faster, more private, and offline functionality, Bubeck’s expertise is increasingly valuable, as noted by TechCrunch .
Microsoft confirmed Bubeck’s new role at OpenAI, where he will work toward advancing the company’s goal of achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI), Bloomberg reported.
While details about Bubeck’s specific role at OpenAI remain unclear, as noted by The Information , which first reported the story. Reuters and other headlines reported that Bubeck has yet to respond to requests for comment.
A Microsoft spokesperson stated that Bubeck “has decided to leave Microsoft to further his work toward developing AGI,” and expressed gratitude for his contributions, adding that the company look “forward to continuing our relationship through his work with OpenAI,” as cited by The Information.
This move follows a wave of high-profile departures from OpenAI, including the exit of longtime chief technology officer Mira Murati in September, Reuters noted.
