The new amendment profoundly changes the “digitization kit”, which is increasingly difficult to call “bonus smartphone”. Here’s why.
As was widely expected, and as we had assumed from the beginning, the amendment to the Budget Law 2021 that introduces the so-called “Bonus Smartphone” has been modified. And in a significant way too, so much so that it would no longer even be appropriate to call the bonus that way.
The new text still talks about the “digitization kit”, but it no longer mentions smartphones. It also changes a fundamental requirement to obtain the bonus, while both the economic requirement and the fund available to pay the contribution remain, in the same amounts as in the text of the previous amendment. The amendment bears the signatures of deputies Gelmini, Trancassini, Garavaglia, Manzo, Del Barba, Pastorino, Delrio and Tabacci. Here is the new wording, which makes this bonus practically identical to another one that already exists: the Bonus PC, tablet and Internet that is still largely to be assigned.
Bonus smartphone, but without smartphone
The biggest change between the first and second amendment (here is the text) is that the word smartphone disappears: now we talk about “electronic device with connectivity”. Most probably this definition will also be changed, since it means everything and nothing: in theory, or rather in practice, even a smart TV is an electronic device with connectivity.
Digitization kit: what does it consist of
The spirit of the bonus, however, does not change: it consists in offering the device on a free loan for one year, also adding the subscription to two online newspapers. What does change, however, is the mode of delivery because now there is the possibility of offering a “bonus of equivalent value to be used for the same purposes”.
In practice, you could go from free loan to voucher for the purchase of the device, provided that the device is “equipped with connectivity for a year”.
Digitization kit: who is eligible
The new amendment also changes the pool of potential beneficiaries of the bonus, restricting it to individuals belonging to households with an ISEE income not exceeding 20.
The new bonus, therefore, would seem to be aimed primarily at Distance Learning (DAD) and not generically to the reduction of the digital divide, as, however, the incipit of the amendment continues to declare.
The requirement that those who want the bonus must not have any internet connection contract or mobile phone, but have a SPID remains. Finally, the economic endowment to cover the bonus also remains: only 20 million euros.
What happened to the Bonus PC?
Many will not have missed the fact that, moving from smartphone to digital device, the new bonus would look very much like a mini version (20 million against 200) of the Bonus PC, tablet and Internet.
But this Bonus is still largely to be assigned: in fact, the official data say that out of 200 million euros available, only 36.6 have been booked and 11.9 have actually been assigned.
There are therefore still over 150 million euros of Bonus PC, tablet and Internet to be disbursed in order to offer Italians an advantage that is practically equal to the one they would have with the new 20 million “Digitization Kit”.