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Fastweb and Wind Tre announce a strategic agreement for the deployment of a nationwide state-of the-art 5G network

Milan, 25th June 2019 – 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 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.

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.

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."

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."







Fastweb

With 2.5 million wireline customers and 1.5 million mobile customers, Fastweb is a major Italian telecom operator, providing a wide range of voice and data services, on wireline and wireless networks, to families and businesses. Since its creation in 1999, the company has focused on innovation and infrastructures to provide high quality ultra-broadband connectivity. Thanks to the continuous expansion of its ultrabroadband network, Fastweb today reaches 22 million households, of which 8 with a proprietary infrastructure, with connection speeds of up to 1 Gigabit.

Wind Tre

Wind Tre, led by Jeffrey Hedberg, is a top Italian mobile operator and among the main alternative operators in the fixed line market. It is part of the CK Hutchison group, which is Wind Tre’s sole shareholder.

The company is a player of reference in fixed-mobile integration and in developing new generation fibre optics networks, also thanks to the agreement with Open Fiber for the development of the ultra-broadband network in Italy. In the mobile market, Wind Tre is investing strongly in the consolidation process of the so-called SUPER RETE 4.5G, through a widespread and resilient network with 21,000 5G-ready transmission sites.

Wind Tre is achieving some important synergies and investments in digital infrastructures, in order to provide innovative, high quality services and faster network speeds, in line with the growing demand for connectivity and the needs of families and businesses.

In the Consumer segment, “Wind” and “3” are the brands used to characterize products and offers. “Wind Tre Business” is the brand for businesses and public administration.

For further information, please visit www.windtre.it.


For information:

Media Relations Fastweb spa

Lisa Di Feliciantonio
Tel. + 348 14 717 43
Lisa.difeliciantonio@fastweb.it

Roberta Dellavedova
Tel. 02 4545 4365
Roberta.dellavedova@fastweb.it

Media Relations Wind Tre SpA

Piero Di Primio
Tel. 06 8311 3700
Piero.diprimio@windtre.it

Valentina De Angelis
Tel. 06 8311 4603
Valentina.deangelis@windtre.it