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EU: Italy competition watchdog extends broadband probe

By  |  February 22, 2018

Italy’s competition watchdog has extended a probe into Telecom Italia  (TIM) to see whether the former state telephone monopoly hindered new rival Open Fiber’s efforts to roll out an ultrafast broadband network.

The regulator said it was looking into whether (TIM) had tried to set wholesale prices for operators seeking broadband access that might obstruct competition.

TIM and Open Fiber, which was founded at the end of 2015, are building competing fast internet networks across Italy.

TIM, whose main shareholder is French media conglomerate Vivendi, has previously been criticised for putting off costly upgrades to its ageing copper network to provide faster internet.

The watchdog said it would also be looking into possible anti-competitive behaviour by TIM on the retail broadband market by using privileged information it had obtained as the dominant network operator.

Full Content: Reuters

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