Italy is in advanced talks with Elon Musk’s space company, SpaceX, to supply secure telecommunications to the Italian government.
Bloomberg news agency, based on insiders, reports that it would be the largest project of its kind in Europe. The possible deal would involve 1.5 billion euros.
The sources said the discussions are ongoing, and no final agreement has been reached. They added that the Italian intelligence services and the Ministry of Defense have already approved the project.
The plan would also include communications services for the Italian army in the Mediterranean and the rollout of so-called direct-to-cell satellite services in Italy for emergencies such as terrorist attacks or natural disasters.
According to Bloomberg, Italy has been investigating the potential deal since 2023. Some Italian officials are reportedly opposed to it, citing concerns that the services could come at the expense of local providers. Representatives from the Italian government and SpaceX have not yet responded.
SpaceX has recently expanded its satellite service Starlink to more countries, serving over 4 million people in over 100 countries and territories. Starlink is also active in Italy, providing broadband internet through its network of more than 7,000 satellites.