It’s called Digital Solidarity and it’s the project carried out by the Ministry for Technological Innovation and Digitization to help businesses and citizens in this difficult period that the country is experiencing. What is it all about? Businesses, associations, but also free citizens, can provide free services for Italian companies and citizens engaged in smart working or who are forced to stay at home for the next few weeks.
The objective of the Digital Solidarity project is to encourage the use of tools for smart working and for the digitization of businesses until the quarantine period is lifted. Encouraging agile working and working from home is one of the solutions to slow down the contagion of COVID 19.
Initially, the initiative concerned only the inhabitants of the Red Zone of Lodi and Vo’ Euganeo, before being extended to the whole of Lombardy and 14 provinces. Following the Prime Ministerial Decree of March 9, which extends the Protection Zone to the whole of Italy, some services have decided to revoke the free access or to change the conditions of use. Italiaonline, on the other hand, has not changed the service initially offered and, on the contrary, has decided to extend the service offered to the whole Peninsula: free subscription to Libero Mail Pec 1 giga for all Italians.
Free services for Red Zones: what are they
Innovative services and solutions. This is what the most important digital companies based and working in Italy have made available. Below you will find a summary of each initiative and how to join.
Italiaonline
Italiaonline immediately offered its support to the Digital Solidarity project. As of today, it is possible to activate a free annual subscription to the Libero SiFattura management-administrative software for VAT numbers and SMEs.
Service offered: Free subscription to the Libero SiFattura Lite and Pro plans for all VAT number holders.
How to join: To activate Libero SiFattura for free, simply access the service’s main page, click on the “Activate” button and follow the guided procedure.
Connexia
Service offered: Free use of the Webex smart working platform for two weeks.
How to join: Send an email to [email protected] indicating your company and the names, surnames and email addresses of the people who will have access to the platform.
Amazon Web Services
Service Offered: AWS offers a package of credits that Public Administrations, nonprofit organizations, startups and companies can use to get support for emergency-related projects.
How to Join: Send applications via email to [email protected].
Eolo
Service Offered: One month of free internet connectivity.
How to Join: Automatic activation for residents of Red Zones.
Tim (service modified after DPCM of March 9)
Service Offered: Unlimited gigs from mobile for one month for all customers with active data bundle. Unlimited landline calls until the end of April for those who do not have them in their subscription.
How to join: Tim customers can activate the offer for mobile accessing the dedicated web page , the offer for calls from landline should be requested by calling 187
Cisco and IBM Italy
Service offered: Free access to Cisco Webex Meetings, a platform for working remotely and that allows you to plan and make meetings, as well as share files with colleagues. IBM volunteers will also assist you in case of problems.
How to join: You need to connect to the website of the initiative.
Mondadori Group
Service offered: Free subscription for three months to the digital versions of Mondadori Group magazines. Available titles: CasaFacile, Chi, Donna Moderna, Focus, Focus Junior, Focus Storia, GialloZafferano, Grazia, Icon, Icon Design and Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni.
It is also possible to have free access to an e-book from the Mondadori catalog. The book can be read with the Kobo Books app.
How to join: Login with SPID to the service.
Amazon
Service offered: Free webinars for distance learning of an hour and a half on STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) for primary and secondary school teachers in the Red Zones.
How to join: To participate it is necessary to send an email to [email protected] with the subject “Webinar STEM”, indicating your personal details and the institution to which you belong. The teacher will receive an email with instructions and access credentials.
Vodafone (no longer available since March 11 and replaced with a new initiative)
Service offered: For those who live in the Red Zones, no limit on minutes, SMS and giga. To facilitate smart working, users of businesses and VAT numbers have no limit on gigs.
How to join: Automatic activation
Fastweb (No longer available after March 11)
Service offered: Package with 50GB offered for free to all mobile customers in the Red Zone. The service does not expire.
How to join: Automatic activation
Weschool
Service offered: Digital distance learning platform created in collaboration with Tim, Weschool allows teachers to create virtual classrooms, share school materials and conduct video lessons. Free access for Red Zone residents.
How to join: Check out the guide to use the platform for free. Available on smartphones, tablets, computers.
Microsoft
Service Offered: Technology and IT experts offered free of charge to allow the adoption of smart working solutions.
How to Join: More information on the company website.
Gedi Group (initiative updated March 11)
Service Offered: Free subscription to La Repubblica, il Mattino di Padova, La Stampa up to a maximum of 25.
How to subscribe: The access modalities are being defined in order to comply with the Prime Ministerial Decree of March 9.
Services added after March 9
Wind Tre
Service offered: From the second half of March 100 Giga free for 7 days are available for all rechargeable mobile voice customers.
How to join: The communication will take place via SMS.
Vodafone Business
Service offered: For companies, VAT numbers and institutions that use Vodafone Business, unlimited use of the data connection is available throughout Italy for all voice SIM cards.
How to join: Automatic activation following receipt of the SMS.
Joinconferece
Service offered: Free use for companies and professionals of audio and video conferencing services for smartworking.
How to join: You can request the service by writing an email to [email protected] or on the dedicated online page.
Sigma Connect
Service offered: Service to connect remotely to your office PC. Available free of charge for public and private entities.
How to join: To access the service you need to apply for an account from this site.
Infinity
Service offered: The video streaming platform dedicated to movies and TV series has doubled its initial offer: those who register with a new account get two months free.
How to join: Starting March 7, those who sign up automatically get two months free.
Smart Tales
Service Offered: Three-month free subscription to an interactive bookstore featuring books dedicated to educators teaching STEM subjects. Children ages 3 to 6.
How to join: Interested users can download the free Android or iOS app at this link and enter the code ST2020IT within the app .
G Suite
Service Offered: Free access until July 1, 2020 to Hanouts Meet, a video conferencing service
How to Join: Learn more about G Suite. Specific information for schools and universities.
#morebooksenostress
Service Offered: A free digital book for all users who request it.
How to Join: Anyone can choose a title from www.bertonieditore.com, and send an email to [email protected] saying: name, surname and chosen title. The book will be sent in digital format (pdf or ebook).
ShippyPro
Service offered: Platform that allows you to manage shipping, very useful for e-commerce companies. Three months free.
How to join: You must create a free account directly from the web page.
The article was updated on March 11 following the DPCM of March 9 which extended the “Red Zone” to the whole Italian territory. Among the services initially available on Digital Solidarity was Amazon Prime Video, which was removed following the DPCM. In other cases, companies are updating the terms of use of the service. We will continue to keep you updated.