By now the SPID has become practically indispensable . This unique digital identity system has been around for some time, since 2016 to be precise, but at least in the beginning it was not used much. The boom came at the beginning of 2020, with the lockdown due to the pandemic triggered by Covid – 19: mobility limitations combined with smart working also adopted by Public Administrations have given a significant boost to its use, also because the government established that it was necessary to obtain state subsidies and various bonuses, such as that for the “famous” 600 EUR. If at the end of February there were 5.9 million active identities, at the end of April, in full lockdown, it was 6.3 million and from that moment the growth was enormous: 9 million at the end of July, 10 millions in early September and well 12 million at 29 of October.

? #SPID allows you to access the online services of the #PA and participating private entities with a single digital #identity that can be used by computers, tablets and smartphones. 12 millions of issued identities, is a fundamental tool for the #digitalization of the country. pic.twitter.com/9FOqfob5z4

– Department for Digital Transformation (@In TecnologiaGov) October 29, 2020

What is SPID and what is it for

The SPID is a secure digital identity system, which allows citizens to access the digital services offered by the public administration: a single identity that can be used for the services of the region, the municipality and in general to everything that the PAs make available digitally. We have mentioned the bonuses and reimbursements for the health emergency, but there are also the citizen portals made available by the municipalities, the services of Inail, INPS, the registry: you can use it to digitally obtain self-certifications, maternity leave , payment of domestic workers, bike bonus (which starts right now). At this address you can find a list of available services . In addition to the PA, there are also a number of private providers who rely on SPID for authentication, such as Lottomatica and Infocert. Here is the complete list.

There are 3 levels of SPID authentication: the first, the least secure, requires only a password, and does not guarantee access to all services, unlike that of Level 2 , more secure since the account is not protected by a single keyword but authentication via OTP is required, generated by the app (which supports biometric authentication) or sent via SMS to a certified phone number. Level 3 is even more secure, and will also allow access to digital payment services in the future. At the moment, having a level 2 SPID allows you to access all available services. The SPID is free, and will be free for life for levels 1 and 2.

SPID according to Poste Italiane: what is PosteID?

Poste Italiane was among the first SPID providers: together with TIM and Infocert, it was accredited in November 2015 and started issuing the first electronic identities on 15 March. Poste Italiane is able to issue level 1, 2 and 3 SPID credentials, which can be used through the PosteID app . To use it, it is essential to have a smartphone, since the PosteID service does not work on a desktop. If you have a smartphone with a fingerprint sensor, you can use your “thumb” to access the services, otherwise you can receive an OTP via SMS, as long as the mobile number is certified by Poste Italiane, that is associated with a Poste Pay card.

SPID Poste Italiane: how to request and get free PosteID

Activation can be done online , on the PosteID website, if you have a mobile phone certified by Poste Italiane, the Bancoposta reader, a National Service Card (active), an Electronic Identity Card (active) or a Digital Signature. Those in possession of an electronic document such as an Italian passport or an Electronic Identity Card can do so via the PosteID app . In the absence of these tools, it is possible to make an appointment and go to the post office, so as to be identified and obtain the digital identity. Another possibility to activate the SPID with PosteID is to request the intervention of an official, who will go to his home to carry out the recognition: this specific service is subject to a fee and costs 14, 50 euro, VAT included.

Once the identity has been obtained, the use is very simple, not too different as a concept from home banking: every time you want to access a service that supports the SPID – for example the INPS portal – just click on Enter with SPID , select your provider (in this case Poste Italiane) and, on the next page, frame the QR Code shown with the Poste ID app and you are authenticated.

PosteID App: what you can do with the SPID of Poste Italiane

The app is extremely essential and practically only serves as a kind of key, and has no other functions. Just launch it, unlock it with a code or fingerprint and access the service, if you use it from a mobile, or scan the QR Code shown on the screen if you are using the desktop service: in a few moments the service will be available. The app displays a list of requested, granted and rejected permissions. It offers direct links to other apps, also from the Italian Post Office, which offers numerous services, such as PagoPA , payment of car and motorcycle tax, bulletins.