Telecom Italia intends to press ahead on its own with domestic network investment and not join other players, according to CEO Marco Patuano. As regards broadband investment “we’ve already demonstrated in the past year that we’re going ahead on our own,” said Patuano when asked at a company event whether Telecom Italia would be prepared to commit to joint investment with other operators. Setting out the company’s reaction to the government’s Strategy for Italian Broadband and Digital Growth 2014-20, Patuano broadly welcomed the plan, describing it as a “project of great importance” but warned that its “impact on the market will only become visible with the adoption of implementing measures, the contents and terms of which have not been stated, leaving the whole plan as yet uncertain."
Patuano also confirmed plans to list Telecom Italia’s towers business by the end of the summer, rejecting press rumours that the unit could be merged with other operators. Patuano said 11,500 mobile phone towers would be transferred to a company called Inwit and that Telecom Italia would keep a majority stake in the company after the listing.
