Rai Way

Rai Way came into existence to manage the networks for the broadcasting and dissemination of Rai in February 2000 following the company branch contribution of the former Transmission and Broadcasting Department (Divisione Trasmissione e Diffusione). The resources transferred to Rai Way included ownership of infrastructure, plants and related assets, as well as the expertise needed for the planning, design, installation, construction, operation, management and maintenance of the network for the broadcasting of voice, video and data signals.

Rai Way's main resources consist of 2,431 dedicated sites throughout the country, 23 regional branch offices and around 700 technicians and engineers with top-level technological expertise in the field of transmission and the broadcasting of audiovisual signals.

The company's mission is to deliver network services, including the contribution, transmission and broadcasting on digital and analogue, terrestrial and satellite platforms, of radio and television signals. On the basis of a service contract with Rai, Rai Way is particularly dedicated to guaranteeing the functioning of Rai's radio and television network.

The coverage of the radio and television broadcasting network in Italy reaches the highest possible levels, both in relation to the population and to the territory, with a high level of quality. In this context, Rai Way's objective is to deliver its services at the lowest possible cost to the highest possible technical standards in terms of safety and flexibility.

From the operational viewpoint, Rai Way is responsible for the activation of new broadcasting technologies, and for the development, design and installation of all radio transmitting stations, overseeing the operation and maintenance of the network to ensure that the high technical standards are evenly distributed so that final users throughout the country may enjoy the best possible reception of the audiovisual signal.

During 2009, Rai Way was committed to the pursuit of the intense activities for the switchover to digital, in the activities aimed at fulfilling the Parent Company's obligations to adapt its band III VHF television frequencies to the European channelling and, as usual, in activities aimed at improving the service rendered and the containment of costs.

Within the sphere of DTT, besides the switchover in Western Piedmont, Trentino Alto Adige and Lazio (over 140 municipalities, excluding the province of Viterbo) which took place in the first six months of the year, during the second half of 2009, the switch-off of Valle d'Aosta and Western Piedmont (provinces of Turin and Cuneo), Trentino Alto Adige, Lazio and Campania was also completed.

Band III VHF was also re-channelled in compliance with the European standard. This operation involved most of RaiUno's transmitters and repeaters, some of RaiTre's repeaters and several DTT plants operating on the old E, F and G channels, for a total of over 400 apparatus, involving over 1,600 municipalities.

In terms of digital radiophony, in 2009, the national distribution of some experimental DAB+/DMB Visual Radio services was launched.

Within the sphere of contribution services for Rai, following the positive experience in the city of Milan, the new contribution service in CoFDM technology for the Testata Giornalistica Reionale was extended to the cities of Florence, Bologna, Palermo, Trieste and Venice.

Within the scope of Rai broadcasting services, a mention must go to the hard work carried out by Rai Way during the Confederations Cup 2009 to set up a contribution network from the event venues (South Africa) and the local technical coordination of the signals. Furthermore, broadcasting services were also offered during the 2009 World Swimming Championship for which Rai was Host Broadcaster.

Also, during the meeting of the G8 held in L'Aquila, Rai Way played a significant role in terms of technical organisation and supervision of national and international links.

In particular the installation of 4 connections from the Coppito barracks of the Financial Guard Corps (the event venue) was envisaged, the destination being Rome CPTV, with 2 return links. For the entire event, Rai Way ensured constant technical supervision of the Centre of Luco dell'Aquila and the technical coordination of the international broadcasts.

Moreover, Rai Way staff in conjunction with the Civil Protection Corps, managed and controlled the radio frequencies licensed by the Ministry and assigned to the broadcasters present on site.

The communication projects that involved Rai Way most in 2009 were:
- the switchover to Digital Terrestrial Television;
- the retuning of RaiUno in relation to the re-channelling of band III VHF;
- the promotion of Digital Radio.

In terms of the passage to DTT, with the aim of further developing communication synergies at Group level, Rai Way participated actively in all the phases, from the definition of management to the communication process.

Adequate communication projects on the processes of conversion of DTT underway were coordinated and prepared for the various interlocutors, simultaneously exploiting different channels (televideo, running wording during the regional television news, television and radio services, Call Centres, Rai portal ad Rai Way website). We also ought to remember Rai Way's commitment to the informative activity during the various Events for DTT organised by Rai in the Regional capitals.

Lastly, the activities aimed at promoting Digital radio were:

- for the initiative Mi Illumino di Meno, Rai Way, in conjunction with the programme Caterpillar on Radio2, launched the first experimentation of Visual Radio on the Group's DAB+ network;
- together with Aeranti-Corallo, the publication of the first results of the experiments of Radio Digitale in Venice and Bologna was finalised;
- for the second year running, Rai Way participated as founder member of the Association for Digital Radiophony (ARD Italia), in the Radio TV Forum event, consolidating relations for exchange with the world of local and private broadcasting, also using a promotional video of Radio Digitale which highlights Rai Way's role as promoter on this new platform;
- the profitable relationship with Sapienza Innovation for the development of additional services was pursued. Particularly, with the use of BIFS techniques, a Televideo prototype was created for Visual Radio, proving the validity and suitability for use of the solution.

Once again, during 2009 Rai Way prepared and published the Environmental Report in order to continue the carriage of information regarding environmental impacts connected with corporate operation.