(Telecompaper) The Italian government said EUR 2.2 billion of public funds are now available to begin work on the country's EUR 12 billion broadband expansion plan. The Italian state and EU structural funds will provide a total of EUR 7 billion and operators are expected to provide the rest of the money. The Ministry of Economic Development said the first tenders for the funding will start in the autumn. The plan will prioritize rural zones that contain 35 percent of the population but which are unable to attract private investment.