MILAN, Nov 6 (Reuters) – Telecom Italia’s (TIM) (TLIT.MI) high investor Vivendi (VIV.PA) is eager to begin talks with Italy’s new right-wing authorities on a brand new plan to create a nationwide broadband firm, folks near the French media conglomerate mentioned on Sunday.
Debt-laden Telecom Italia has been embroiled for months in negotiations over the sale of its prized landline grid to state lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP).
The potential sale was a part of a plan sponsored by the earlier authorities to mix TIM’s fastened community property with these of smaller broadband operator Open Fiber with a purpose to create a nationwide community champion underneath CDP management.
Nonetheless, regulatory and valuations points have thwarted efforts to this point and the mission to create a single community firm is now being reassessed by the brand new authorities, which was sworn in final month.
On Saturday, cupboard undersecretary Alessio Butti informed Sky broadcaster he thought-about making a single broadband firm a “precedence”, including he would begin quickly talks with all stakeholders, together with CDP, over a brand new model of the mission.
Butti had beforehand referred to as on CDP to pursue the one community mission taking up TIM, underneath a plan dubbed “Minerva”.
Beneath the plan, TIM would retain the community whereas hiving off its providers operations and its Brazil-listed unit to chop its debt pile.
Folks near the French media group mentioned on Sunday that Vivendi appreciated Butti’s openness to dialogue and reiterated the Paris-listed firm’s willingness to begin discussions to discover a fast resolution.
In her inaugural speech to parliament, new Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni vowed to make sure nationwide strategic networks to be state-owned whereas enabling telecoms corporations to compete on providers.
Treasury-owned CDP, which controls Open Fiber, is TIM’s second largest investor with a ten% stake. Vivendi holds a 24percentstake in TIM.
Reporting by Elvira Pollina; writing by Elvira Pollina and Francesca Landini; modifying by David Evans
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