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Italy's antitrust regulator opens probe into Fastweb, Telecom Italia 5G network deal - Finance news and analysis from Global Banking & Finance Review
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Italy's antitrust regulator opens probe into Fastweb, Telecom Italia 5G network deal

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on May 11, 2026

1 min read

· Last updated: May 11, 2026

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Italy’s Antitrust Authority Investigates Fastweb and Telecom Italia 5G Agreement

Overview of the Antitrust Investigation

Background of the Agreement

MILAN, May 11 (Reuters) - Italy's antitrust watchdog said on Monday it had opened an investigation into a deal between telecoms operator Fastweb and Telecom Italia (TIM) to jointly build a fifth generation mobile infrastructure and share their networks.

Details of the Preliminary Deal

In January TIM and Fastweb, the Italian arm of Swisscom, said they entered a preliminary deal to share mobile networks and speed up the rollout of 5G technology in less populated areas across the country.

Regulatory Assessment and Timeline

The Italian regulator said in its weekly bulletin it had decided to assess, by April 2027, whether the agreement is in breach of competition laws.

(Reporting by Elvira Pollina, editing by Gavin Jones)

Key Takeaways

  • Italy’s antitrust watchdog AGCM opened an inquiry into the RAN‑sharing deal between Fastweb+Vodafone and Telecom Italia, examining whether the agreement may breach competition laws by April 2027 (tariffe.segugio.it)
  • The preliminary agreement, announced in January 2026, aims to jointly deploy roughly 15 500 5G sites by 2028 across municipalities under 35 000 inhabitants, with each operator covering 10 regions and sharing infrastructure to avoid duplication and achieve €250–300 million in savings each over 10 years (digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu)
  • Approval of the agreement is subject not only to AGCM review but also to oversight by Italy’s Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT) and the communications authority AGCOM, and despite the probe, industry dialogue remains constructive (wired.it)

References

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Italy's antitrust regulator investigating Fastweb and Telecom Italia?
The regulator is assessing if their 5G network sharing deal breaches competition laws.
What is the purpose of the Fastweb and Telecom Italia agreement?
The deal aims to jointly build 5G infrastructure and expand coverage in less populated areas.
When is the assessment of the deal expected to be completed?
The Italian regulator expects to assess the agreement by April 2027.
Who reported the opening of this investigation?
The news was reported by Elvira Pollina, with editing by Gavin Jones.

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