(Telecompaper) Vodafone Italia has switched on its 5G network in five cities across the country ahead of next month's launch of 5G roaming in the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy. The 'Giga Network 5G' service is available in the Milan metropolitan area (including 28 surrounding localities), Rome, Turin, Bologna and Naples, with around 45 to 50 cities to follow next year, rising to a total of 100 by 2021, said the company's CEO Aldo Bisio during the official launch event in Milan. "5G paves the way for a new era of digital development services across the country," said Bisio, adding that "we expect our services to grow exponentially and have a profound social and economic impact."