Italian telecom conglomerate Telecom Italia announced Monday (March 2) that it has now made e-invoicing services available for the nation’s small- and medium-sized enterprises at an affordable cost.
Telecom Italia’s electronic invoicing services, run by its information and communications technology unit Olivetti, is now available for purchase by business customers through its Nuvola Store, reports say. The Nuvola Store first launched last October to offer SMEs a cloud marketplace for information and communications technology needs.
Reports say the e-invoicing service is available for just EUR 6.50 per month, or about USD $7.25 a month.
The widening availability of Telecom Italia’s e-invoicing services comes just in time for Italy’s federal digital procurement plan. On March 31, reports say, legislation will come into effect that mandates all Italian companies to electronify their invoices and submit them to public administrations. Telecom Italia’s prices are promotional, but reports did not indicate whether those prices would increase, when, or by how much.
Italy is one of several EU nations implementing mandatory e-invoicing. Just weeks ago, Belgium revealed a new agenda to adopt such a mandate, citing electronic procurement practices’ cost savings and streamlining of operations.
As governments across the European Union explore and implement e-invoicing mandates for federal procurement, the EU is also looking to pass legislation regulating cloud services. The laws, experts say, would have major implications on government and B2B procurement practices, and officials are touting cloud regulation as one that would streamline and digitize procurement, invoicing and other buying processes.
Critics of the plan, however, argue that SMEs would be susceptible to data breaches, potentially compromising business customer information. Still, recent research found that 80 percent of SMEs across Europe would benefit from cloud regulation through cost reductions, and champions of the legislation add that the rules would promote cross-border procurement across the EU.
We’re always on the lookout for opportunities to partner with innovators and disruptors.
Learn More