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Italian Antitrust Authorities Open Probe Into Telecom Network-Sharing Deal

By  |  May 11, 2026
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Italy’s competition authorities have opened an investigation into an agreement between telecommunications operators Fastweb and Telecom Italia (TIM) involving the joint development of fifth-generation mobile infrastructure and the sharing of network assets across the country.

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    The move was announced Monday by Italy’s antitrust watchdog, which said it would examine whether the arrangement complies with national competition rules, according to a statement published in the regulator’s weekly bulletin.

    The agreement, first disclosed in January, involves TIM and Fastweb — the Italian unit of Swisscom — and is aimed at accelerating the rollout of 5G services, particularly in less densely populated parts of Italy. Per a statement issued at the time, the companies said the partnership was designed to expand mobile coverage more efficiently and support faster deployment of next-generation connectivity in areas where infrastructure investment can be more challenging.

    Read more: European Commission Clears Telecom Deals in Italy and Spain

    Italy’s antitrust authority said it has launched a formal review of the deal and will assess whether the arrangement could restrict competition in the telecommunications sector, according to a statement in the regulator’s bulletin.

    The investigation is expected to run through April 2027, when the authority plans to determine whether the network-sharing agreement violates competition laws. Per a statement from the regulator, the review will focus on the potential market impact of the cooperation between the two telecom groups as Italy continues expanding its 5G infrastructure.

    Source: Global Banking and Finance