Italy - Telecom Italia, Fastweb reaching cooperation for Italys NGN - 2011

Synopsis

The deployment of Next Generation Networks (NGNs) is relatively nascent in Italy given that most current investment remains in upgraded DSL technologies. Italy languished for many years by having no clearly defined national strategy supported by the regulator and government. However, such national strategies are considered paramount across Europe and Italy now has seen significant developments which should propel the country to the forefront of FttH infrastructure in the region.

Public funding from stimulus packages to develop NGNs has been made available in the wake of the global financial crisis, while being aligned with regulatory and legislative measures to ensure wholesale access to fibre networks. These national measures are also sympathetic to European Community (EC) commitments to provide universal broadband across the region during the next few years.

Initial agreements among players to develop an NGN by sharing passive infrastructure and investment costs soured in 2010, with the result that Telecom Italia decided to build its own network in parallel with one jointly developed by Fastweb, Wind and Vodafone. Yet with the assistance of regulatory measures to set appropriate conditions for network infrastructure sharing these players have re-established a cooperative venture which will form the basis of a better managed NGN for the future.

The report also includes Telecom Italia financial and company information for Q2 2011, prepared by Indigo Equity Research.

Key developments:

Economic stimulus package securing public funding for fibre infrastructure; proposed FiberCo to oversee FttH infrastructure reaching 50% of households by 2020; Italy committing €13-15.5 billion for NGN.

Companies covered in this report include:

Telecom Italia, Fastweb, Wind, Vodafone.