Telecom Italia and Vodafone Italia have signed an agreement to share mobile network access sites, both existing ones and those soon to be built. The agreement regards so-called “passive” infrastructure: poles, cables, electrical and air-conditioning fixtures, and other civil infrastructure.
As a result of this agreement - which renews and broadens the content of an earlier one – the two companies are implementing the guidance contained in the Codice per le Comunicazioni Elettroniche (electronic communications law), favouring the more efficient use of network infrastructure both in urban and rural areas.
While maintaining ownership of their own infrastructure, each operator will host the other on radio-mobile stations across the country with the aim of optimizing mobile network coverage. The agreement will not, however, include electronic devices which deliver mobile telephone services to customers or the relative operations management services.
“The value of this agreement – said Stefano Pileri, Telecom Italia’s Managing Director for Technology- is twofold. From an efficiency point of view, it will be possible to significantly reduce the unit cost of renting sites, one of the main expenses in mobile networks. Further, the progressive reduction of the number of radio stations will have a positive external environmental impact”.
The sharing of infrastructure will shorten construction times and enhance investment. The agreement, which has a duration of 6 years, is renewable and open to potentially interested third parties.
Rome, 12 November 2007