TIM-Open Fiber: the Government presses on the single network

Roberto Gualtieri, Minister of Economy, is the first in favor of giving the public a leading role in the management of the entity that would be created by the merger between TIM and Open Fiber. Among the assets at stake are also the infrastructures to date under the operator's control for the provision of services offered to users throughout the country. New details emerge today from an indiscretion obtained and shared by Reuters.

Single network: a matter of governance

The government aims to speed up the time for the creation of the so-called single network with a double purpose: to bridge the technological gap that still separates our territory from those of other European states in terms of connectivity in the shortest possible time and to guarantee the continental funds of the Recovery and Resilience Facility necessary to enhance the current infrastructure within the next five years.

The one relating to the control of the reality resulting from the operation, however, still remains the main problem to be solved: Telecom Italia does not back down with respect to the claims made at first and also this week reiterated its will to wanting to keep the biggest slice of the cake and the governance of the reality that will be born.

By the Open Fiber, in the hands of Enel and CDP (Cassa Depositi e Prestiti), they have not reached comments about. The operator wholesale has however repeatedly expressed the willingness to reach in a short time, an agreement , with the prospect of speeding up the process of modernisation of the national network that in some areas in the last few months has sometimes shown its limits, bringing to light how the plight of the digital divide is still able to impact on competitiveness, access to services and opportunities.

An option to consideration is the one that would see TIM initially satisfied with a majority stake , provided, however, that has not prevented the participation of any other player in the market or the entry of new operators. To enforce the conditions may be an officer specially appointed by the Government and by the authority that supervises the communications.

KKR and FiberCop

In that complex story is also part of the sale to fund the u.s. KKR of a stake in the management of the last mile. To give priority to the discussions on the single network, the operation was postponed until the end of the month. At the same time the CDP or another reality linked to the public may invest in FiberCop , so as to balance the american presence.

The entire maneuver will not affect in any way the business of TIM tied to the network's mobile apps , including those 5G of the latest generation, as well as the activities related to the data center and to the retail business.

Source: Reuters