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Italy is in advanced negotiations with SpaceX for a €1.5 billion ($1.55 billion) contract to enhance the country’s telecoms security, according to media reports
The proposed five-year deal will focus on implementing encrypted government communications, enhancing military operations in the Mediterranean, and providing satellite services for emergency responses to natural disasters or security threats.
As part of the deal, SpaceX’s Starlink system will be deployed to boost connectivity across the country, with a particular focus on underserved regions where high-speed internet access is limited.
The agreement includes plans to test Starlink’s satellite services as early as this month.
The initiative is part of a broader strategy by the Italian government to address the digital divide and improve nationwide access to reliable and fast internet services.
The partnership with SpaceX is the latest step in the deepening relationship between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and tech billionaire Elon Musk, something that may prove invaluable as the latter is set to play a key role in the incoming Trump administration.
Meloni has also recently returned from a trip to visit Donald Trump in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, over the weekend.
The Italian government has confirmed that discussions with SpaceX are ongoing but stressed that a deal has not been reached yet
“The talks with SpaceX are part of normal government business,” the government said.
Last month, Ukrainian telecoms group VEON has announced a new partnership with Starlink, a division of SpaceX, to bring direct-to-cell satellite connectivity to Ukraine.
The deal will see Kyivstar, VEON’s Ukrainian subsidiary, offer these satellite-based connectivity services to its customers across the country.
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