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5G · Joint Venture · Mobile Towers · Telecommunications
Swisscom's Fastweb, in collaboration with Vodafone and Telecom Italia, has forged a strategic partnership to jointly develop new mobile phone towers across Italy.
This initiative, initially structured as a 50/50 joint venture, aims to significantly accelerate the nationwide rollout of 5G technology. The ambitious project targets the construction of up to 6,000 new sites, with deployment phased over several years.
A key aspect of the venture is its open access policy, allowing other telecommunication service providers to utilize the infrastructure. Financially, the project will be funded through a combination of equity from prospective third-party investors and debt, ensuring no adverse impact on Swisscom's free cash flow or existing guidance.
Telecom Italia highlighted that the collaboration is designed to enhance operational efficiency and align costs with the European average, signaling a move towards more sustainable infrastructure investment models within the sector.
Andrea Orcel’s comments leave the door open to UniCredit revising the terms of its takeover offer if the banks can agree on a common plan.
