Telecom Italia, Fastweb sign deal on fibre development

Telecom Italia and Fastweb have signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation on the development of their next-generation FTTC networks. The memorandum allows the two companies to share costs and investments in infrastructure construction. Telecom Italia and Fastweb have each launched their own development plan for a national network, and the agreement will enable them to identify and exploit opportunities in areas of common interest to optimise costs and investments, by sharing existing passive infrastructure and coordinating their realisation efforts to speed the roll-out of fibre.

The agreement rests on a common conviction that network platforms based on FTTC are the answer in Italy, as in nearly all other European countries, to the rapid diffusion of ultra-broadband services nationwide in line with the European Digital Agenda goals. At the same time, the accord rests on the outcome of a network trial based on FTTCarchitecture in the city of Pisa, which helped to identify the most cost efficient approaches and jointly explore the performance of VDSL technologies.

The two operators will retain total freedom and autonomy in the development of their own network platforms, technology decisions and commercial offerings. The memorandum will be implemented in full compliance with industry and antitrust regulations and will be open to all operators who wish to co-invest in FTTC infrastructure and platforms.