Investment in infrastructure has been continuous. In 2022-2023 alone, this figure stands at 10 million euros, reinforcing Madeira's position in access to new generation networks. By the end of 2022, RAM will have 100% fiber optic coverage, making the region the territory with the highest fiber optic coverage in Portugal. The mobile network has also been the subject of heavy investment. Today, the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo have almost 100% population coverage on the 4G network and 50% on the new 5G network. In 2019, Funchal was part of the first pilots of MEO's new mobile network and currently has 19 5G mobile stations.
By the end of the year, a further 15 stations are expected to be activated, guaranteeing 5G access to all the municipalities in the region, covering 80% of the population. Altice's CEO, Ana Figueiredo, stressed that "Altice Portugal has invested heavily in recent years to provide the archipelago with all the infrastructures needed to attract investment and contribute to Madeira's economic and social development, particularly in terms of tourism. With this in mind, our commitment to the region is to continue to be a trusted partner and a driving force in generating value for companies and the people of Madeira." Technology at the service of industry and innovation As part of Altice's trip to Madeira, a visit was made to the Banana Interpretation Center in Ponta do Sol, one of the most important investments in this industry.
In a consortium, Altice Labs, Altice Madeira, GESBA-Empresa de Gestão do Setor da Banana, ARDITIAgência Regional para o Desenvolvimento da Investigação, Tecnologia e Inovação and the University of Madeira are developing the Banana Sensing project. The aim is to optimize the banana cultivation and production process using sensing and artificial intelligence technological solutions. The visit was attended by the Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development, Humberto Vasconcelos. On the second day of her visit to the region, the CEO of Altice Portugal visited Funchal City Hall, where a protocol was signed to open an Altice Labs research center in the new Funchal Cultural and Research Center (CCIF). It should be remembered that Altice Labs - the Altice Group's Research and Development Center - has already had a hub in Ribeira Brava (Brava Valley) since 2019, a space dedicated to entrepreneurship and innovation in close collaboration with academia and local start-ups.
This new center, which will be inaugurated soon and occupies the former space of the Funchal slaughterhouse, will also host an exhibition of part of the Altice Foundation's Modern Art Collection, thus contributing to its cultural aspect. The Altice Foundation aims to fulfill the company's commitment to social intervention, as part of its responsibilities as a social agent. Altice Portugal also renewed its agreement with the Regional Civil Protection Service, which provides for the support of the MEO brand in maintaining the Emergency Network in the region, supported by satellite technology, as well as the continued provision of its facilities for the Civil Protection Business Continuity service.
Altice Portugal's Executive Committee also paid tribute to Graciano Goes, a major name in Madeira engineering and a professional with a decades-long legacy to the telecommunications sector, including the Madeira Telecommunications Center, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary and houses Altice's Data Center in Funchal.