Italy mulls law for creation of broadband network: Report

Italy’s government is considering a law to manage the creation of a single national broadband network that would set 2026 as a deadline for the completion of the infrastructure, La Repubblica newspaper reported on Friday.

A new national network company would be tasked with the implementation of the infrastructure and would be subject to “significant sanctions” if some of the targets were not met, the paper added.

Italy’s state-lender CDP would have a strong involvement in such company, but would not necessarily control it, the paper said.

Rome has been trying to create a national network by merging Open Fiber, a small broadband operator owned by CDP and utility Enel, with the landline grid assets of phone group Telecom Italia. The project, championed by the former government, was never finalised and there were concerns it may be losing traction under new Prime Minister Mario Draghi.