One of the main grievances for foreigners who come to visit Rome lies with the difficulty of connecting to the Internet using one of the dozens of free services available in the city.

The biggest issue for tourists coming from abroad is that for the most part accessing a public Wi-Fi network requires an identification of some sort.

While a proper ID is not requested anymore, most services bypass this type of requirement by asking for an Italian phone number in the form of a SIM card… when it’s obvious that most foreigners in the city are only in Rome for a handful of days and will use their own mobile phone, with their domestic phone provider. Essentially, they won’t have an Italian SIM card on them or on their handheld device!

A new system finally goes beyond this type of, how shall we put it?, “standoff”.

DigitRoma meets the EIDAS system

The already existing DigitRoma network of public Wi-Fi antennas spread across the city will now offer a login with an EIDAS system ID. EIDAS is the name for the electronic identification system available to all European citizens from countries belonging to the EU.

People who own an EIDAS ID will be able to use it to connect to DigitRoma and soon will be able to access some of the city electronic departments as well so will be allowed to ask for documents, file requests (marriage licenses, for instance) or even pay fines.

Of course being an European service, this option is going to be limited to European passport holders/European citizens.

However, the EIDAS is a standard that is considered in an increasingly favorable manner by extra-European countries as well, so this means that in a nearby future more foreign visitors could be able to access Wi-Fi and other services through the same system.

Don’t have an EIDAS ID yet? Remember that every apartment in the From Home to Rome network has free Wi-Fi! Passwords will be listed in the accommodation’s information folders. We’ve been talking about it here.