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Italy: Regulator against return to telecom monopoly

By  |  July 21, 2019

Last month, Telecom Italia (TIM) signed a non-disclosure agreement with state lender CDP and utility Enel to kick off talks on ways of integrating its fiber optic network with that of smaller rival Open Fiber, including a possible merger, according to a report from Reuters.

When asked about the possible merger of TIM’s and Open Fiber’s networks on Friday, July 19, Antitrust Authority chief Angelo Cardani said, “Should the incumbent (TIM) control the new entity it would not just be a big U-turn but also a backward step.”

Reuters reported that subsequently, Cardani said he was not talking about a specific case, but that, generally speaking, any deal creating a monopoly reduces the benefits of competition.

Full Content: Reuters

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