Coviolo Wireless

The aim of the project has therefore concerned the overcoming of the digital-divide on a neighborhood scale, allowing an internet access by the adhering citizens: the presence of a neighborhood broadband computer network has also allowed the integration of the infrastructure with the development of new city security systems (for example, video surveillance). Thanks to the Coviolo Wireless project, today in the village almost 100 people have joined the proposal of community wi-fi and receive connectivity services of quality and low cost at their homes or the headquarters of their business.

Coviolo Wireless Broadband Infrastructure emerges as a successful case of knowledge transfer between different actors. Indeed, the project idea emerged from the local community and was managed by the city government through the neighbourhood house and the neighborhood architects assisted by the social innovation direction and the CSO. From a technological perspective, the Coviolo case shows a possible community-based solution alternative or complementary to the marked-oriented one. From a governance perspective, the project allows the city of Reggio Emilie to experiment with new types of partnerships, the public-private-science,-social-community partnerships. Moreover, the project tested a community-based ownership model and management arrangement of an urban infrastructure.

The innovativeness of the community wi-fi project is also evidenced by the award given by the European Commission in 2017, which awarded Coviolo the ‘European Broadband Awards 2017’