Share The Italian government reportedly lined up a deal with Elon Musk for his SpaceX entity to provide a range of communications services for employees and the country’s military, with discussion ongoing over a five-year contract worth €1.5 billion. Bloomberg reported talks are at an advanced stage and the project had been signed off by Italy’s intelligence services and defence ministry. Details about what could be provided by SpaceX are sparse, but the company would likely be tasked with providing a high-level of encryption for phone and internet services used by government employees, sources claimed. The contract would also extend to communications services for the country’s military and the deployment of direct-to-device (D2D) satellite offerings in emergency situations, such as during terrorist attacks and natural disasters. Bloomberg stated a deal such as this has been in the works since 2023, however the plan faced some opposition from politicians due to concerns about how it may impact local operators. Sources added the prospects of an agreement being reached progressed rapidly after Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with Donald Trump on 4 January, with Musk notably a strong ally of the US President-elect. News of the potential deal comes shortly after SpaceX struck a deal with Kyivstar in Ukraine to provide D2D services in the country, potentially beginning in the fourth quarter.