Do you have a micro, small, medium enterprise or are you a freelancer? Then you will know very well how important it is, nowadays, to invest in ultra-broadband connectivity which represents a fundamental infrastructure for keeping up with the times and taking advantage of the many possibilities that the Internet offers in terms of communication and potential expansion of its business, both in the domestic and in the international market.
In this regard, among the extraordinary measures introduced by the Italian State to reduce the economic impact deriving from the COVID-19 pandemic, an intervention aimed at helping families and businesses that do not yet have ultra-broadband connectivity services has also been planned: the first phase of aid was dedicated to less well-off families with connectivity services below 30 Mbit/s and lasted one year (from November 2020 to November 2021); now it’s the turn of the Corporate Connectivity Voucher which aims to facilitate the adoption of ultra-broadband connections by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and professionals with a VAT number.
Thanks to this state initiative, it is possible to obtain a voucher ranging from 300 to 2,500 euros in the form of a discount on the price of ultra-broadband Internet connection plans signed up with accredited operators. The deadline to submit the request is set for December 15, 2022although discussions are underway with the European Commission to extend the measure for a further year (unless the allocated resources are used up earlier) and my advice – almost useless to underline it – is to take advantage of it; on the other hand, you don’t need to do who knows what studies to understand how positive the economic and social repercussions are in areas where companies, professionals and private citizens make use of ultra-broadband connections with which it is possible to produce more quickly, efficiently and also environmentally sustainable. Below you will find all the details and instructions of the case.
Index
- What is the Corporate Connectivity Voucher
- Who is the Corporate Connectivity Voucher for?
- How to request the Corporate Connectivity Voucher
- For more information
What is the Corporate Connectivity Voucher
As mentioned at the beginning of the post, the Business Connectivity Voucher is part of the interventions that the Italian State has launched to help families and businesses that do not yet have ultra-broadband connectivity services.
It was introduced with the Decree of the Minister of Economic Development of 23 December 2021, published in the Official Gazette no. 33 of 9 February 2022, as amended, published in the Official Gazette no. 116 of 19 May 2022 and provides for the disbursement of a contribution from 300 to 2,500 euros that micro, small and medium-sized enterprises , as well as natural persons with a VAT number ( if they exercise an intellectual profession pursuant to art. 2229 of the Civil Code, or one of the unorganized professions pursuant to law 14 January 2013, n. 4) they can obtain a discount on the sale price on an Internet connection plan in ultra-broadband subscribed to one of theaccredited operators .
The vouchers that can be obtained have been divided into various amount ranges , which differ according to the type of connection.
- Band A1 vouchers (to which 14% of the allocated resources go) and A2 (to which 1% of the allocated resources go)— provide bonuses of 300 euros for minimum 18-month contracts concerning connections from 30 to 300 Mbit/s ( voucher A1), or from 300 Mbit/s to 1 Gbit/s (voucher A2). There are no guaranteed minimum bandwidth thresholds. For 1 Gbit/s connections, another 500 euro bonus can be added to cover part of the network connection costs incurred by the beneficiaries.
- Band B vouchers (to which 20% of the allocated resources go)— provide bonuses of 500 euros for minimum 18-month contracts with connections from 300 Mbit/s to 1 Gbit/s. There is a guaranteed minimum bandwidth threshold of 30 Mbit/s. A further 500 euro bonus can be added to cover part of the costs of connection to the network incurred by the beneficiaries.
- Band C vouchers (to which 65% of the allocated resources go)— provide bonuses of 2,000 euros for minimum 24-month contracts with connections over 1 Gbit/s. There is a guaranteed minimum bandwidth threshold of 100 Mbit/s. A further 500 euro bonus can be added to cover part of the costs of connection to the network incurred by the beneficiaries.
The interventions are financed from state resources of the 2014-2020 Development and Cohesion Fund, for a total amount of approximately 589 million euros . The implementation of the intervention is entrusted to Infratel Italia SpA, under the supervision of the Directorate General for Electronic Communication, Radio Broadcasting and Postal Services (DGSCERP) of the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy.
The date by which it is possible to submit the request to obtain the voucher is 15 December 2022 , although (as noted above) discussions have been held with the European Commission to extend the measure by one year, unless resources have previously been exhausted allocated.
Who is the Corporate Connectivity Voucher for?
Now let’s move on to the requirements for the Business Connectivity Voucher . Taking into account the Recommendation of the European Commission of 6 May 2003, concerning the definition of micro, small and medium enterprises, in OJEU n. Law 124 of 20 May 2003, pp. 36-41, the requirements for accessing the Business Connectivity Voucher are as follows.
- Sole proprietorships.
- Micro-enterprises — enterprises with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total not exceeding €2 million.
- Small businesses— businesses with fewer than 50 employees and annual turnover or balance sheet total not exceeding €10 million.
- Medium-sized enterprises and SMEs— enterprises with fewer than 250 employees and annual turnover not exceeding €50 million, or annual balance sheet total not exceeding €43 million.
- Natural persons holding a VAT number– if they exercise an intellectual profession pursuant to art. 2229 of the Civil Code, or one of the unorganized professions referred to in the law of 14 January 2013, n. 4. There are no limits dictated by the ISEE or by income for submitting a request.
The voucher is intended only for subjects registered in the business register (with the exception of freelancers). For holders of a VAT number with multiple offices , it is possible to request only one voucher per VAT number . In the case of portability , it is possible to transfer the remaining amount of the sum received, while in the event of a change of operator or change of ownership of the contract in the same location, the bonus will not be recognized.
How to request the Corporate Connectivity Voucher
If you meet the above requirements, you can request the Corporate Connectivity Voucher until the allocated resources are exhausted, or in any case no later than 15 December 2022 , by contacting one of the accredited operators , for example TIM , Vodafone or WINDTRE (find the complete list on the Infratel Italia website ).
Once you have chosen one of the offers available, you can get in touch with a consultant who will explain in detail all the procedure to follow to use the voucher.
In principle, it is necessary to sign an application for admission to the contribution in which to insert the registration code in the Business Register (if required for one’s business); the type of connection currently active in the site for which the voucher is being requested (if there is a pre-existing contract); a photocopy of the tax code and identity document of the legal representative/owner of the company benefiting from the voucher; the VAT number and the ATECO code.
Once the requirements and availability of resources have been verified , the voucher will be disbursed, in the form of a discount on the sale price of the ultra-broadband Internet connection fee . When activating the line, it may also be necessary to fill in a delivery report .
For more information
For more information on the Business Connectivity Voucher , consult the official website of the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy , where there are all the details of the case with many documents and links for further information.
For any requests for clarification, you can also send an email to [email protected] . The answers will be given anonymously through the publication of answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ).
