Italy's antitrust authority opened an investigation on Monday into a preliminary agreement between Fastweb and Telecom Italia (BIT:TLIT) to cooperate on the construction and sharing of fifth generation mobile infrastructure.
The two telecommunications firms announced in January that they had reached a tentative deal to share mobile networks and speed up the rollout of 5G technology in parts of Italy with lower population density. Fastweb operates as the Italian division of Swisscom (SIX:SCMN).
According to the weekly bulletin published by the regulator, the probe will assess whether the arrangement is compatible with competition law. The authority has established a timeline for the examination and set April 2027 as the deadline for completing its assessment.
The announcement in the regulator's bulletin was succinct and focused on the procedural step taken - the opening of an inquiry - and the subject matter to be reviewed: the companies' collaboration on 5G network construction and sharing. Beyond confirming the existence of the preliminary agreement and the regulator's examination, the bulletin did not provide additional details on the scope of the investigation or the specific competition concerns under review.
This review will proceed under the authority's standard timetable, with the April 2027 date serving as the endpoint for its analysis and any related administrative decisions.
Context and scope
The agreement announced in January concerns joint construction of 5G infrastructure and sharing of mobile networks, with an explicit goal of accelerating deployment in less densely populated regions across Italy. The regulator's inquiry will focus on whether that commercial collaboration runs afoul of competition rules.
What the regulator disclosed
The weekly bulletin is the public record noting the investigation. It confirms the opening of the probe, the subject - the Fastweb/Telecom Italia arrangement on 5G network construction and sharing - and the April 2027 deadline for the regulator to complete its assessment.
Implications noted in the announcement
The bulletin does not specify potential remedies, sanctions, or next steps beyond the formal investigation. It also does not outline any conditions attached to the preliminary agreement announced by the companies in January.
Given the limited information in the regulator's bulletin, the precise contours of the inquiry and any potential outcomes will depend on the findings the authority reaches during the review period ending in April 2027.