Fastweb and Wind Tre announced today the launch of a strategic agreement leveraging on the operators’ respective assets in order to accelerate the roll-out of a nationwide, state-of-the art 5G network.
The co-investment agreement will lead to the rapid deployment of a shared 5G radio access and back-hauling network in Italy that will support the delivery of next-generation, high performing mobile services for Fastweb and Wind Tre customers. The shared 5G network will include Wind Tre and Fastweb macro and small cells, connected through dark fiber from Fastweb, to be deployed nationwide, with a targeted coverage of 90% of the population by 2026. Wind Tre will manage the 5G network, while both operators will remain independent in the commercial and operational use of the shared infrastructure. This will enable the two partners to roll out the 5G network faster and more cost-effectively. The resulting network capacity, incremental investment and running cost will be split according to a cost-sharing-mechanism. The terms of the co-investment will allow important synergies from 2020 onwards.
As part of the agreement, Wind Tre will provide Fastweb roaming services on Wind Tre’s existing network (4G and legacy technologies), thus allowing Fastweb to extend its mobile coverage to national level, while Fastweb will provide Wind Tre wholesale access to Fastweb’s FTTH and FTTC network, increasing the capability of Wind Tre to provide ultra-broadband connectivity to Wind Tre’s wireline customers.
The agreement has an initial, ten year duration and is subject to the approval of competent authorities. Fastweb will finance the co-investment agreement from its own available cash resources. Swisscom's guidance for 2019 remains unchanged.
Jeffrey Hedberg, Wind Tre CEO: "It is with great expectation that I announce this strategic agreement between Wind Tre and Fastweb. Through this combination of resources, we are accelerating our strategy of ‘re-inventing’ Wind Tre by enabling 5G services and integrated solutions to meet the present and future requirements of our customers. Indeed, we are making great progress in modernizing our network and IT systems and this partnership represents the next step in ensuring high performance connectivity for our customers. Moreover, this partnership reinforces Wind Tre’s role and its responsibility to enable a 5G ecosystem and to empower the growth and the development of the economy and the country".
Alberto Calcagno, Fastweb CEO: "Once again we deliver on our promises: the agreement with Wind Tre is a fundamental step in the execution of Fastweb strategy to build a sustainable Fixed-Mobile convergent business. We fulfill our ambition to provide the best connectivity to our customers seamlessly indoor and outdoor. We will work through this collaboration to deploy a best-in-class 5G network. We are equally proud to make our fiber infrastructure available to Wind Tre and to its wireline customers, as our role as wholesale operator – with ultrabroadband infrastructures available to third parties covering 75% of the population - becomes increasingly relevant in the country".
