WindTre and Ericsson activate Italy’s first 5G Standalone network — and bring network slicing to smaller businesses
WindTre and Ericsson have activated Italy’s first 5G Standalone network, marking the debut of a fully 5G-native core in the country. This milestone was announced on January 14, 2026. https://www.ericsson.com/en/press-releases/3/2026/wind-tre-and-ericsson-switch-on-first-5g-standalone-network-in-italy Telecompaper highlighted the launch as a key step forward in Italy’s digital evolution, pointing out that this network is built entirely on 5G technology, not relying on 4G infrastructure beneath it. https://www.telecompaper.com/news/windtre-and-ericsson-activate-italys-first-5g-standalone-network--1559268