On Infratel and the tenders for ultra-broadband, the tension is at its highest between the government and Tim. Here are the words of Minister Carlo Calenda: “The statements made today by the Chief Executive Officer of TIM are serious and unacceptable all the more so since they were made in an institutional setting. The Infratel tenders, in which TIM participated together with other operators, were structured in full compliance with national and European rules. I am sure that the company will immediately return to using an appropriate language in relations with the Government".
What happened and why such harsh words from the Minister of Development? It happened that Flavio Cattaneo, CEO of Tim, in a hearing in Parliament said: “We no longer participate in tenders because we believe they are constructed in a certain way. If they are built ad hoc, then for me they can do it even without a tender and give it to whoever they deem most appropriate". Hence the harsh reaction of the government which opened the tenders to all operators while Tim had announced from the beginning that he was not interested in the "white" areas (those where the market does not find it convenient to invest) subject to tenders, only to then reconsider and announce that it would run alone to cover part of the territories involved in the construction of the fiber optic network. Standalone, to protect the asset represented by its copper network.
How will the fight end? All that remains is to watch the next episodes of the new catchphrase of the Italian TLCs.
Meanwhile, Radiocor has learned that Tim is preparing various appeals: at the Lazio Regional Administrative Court Tim would have joined the appeal of
Eolo contesting the definition of the perimeter of the white areas, i.e. the areas where public investment by Infratel is possible.
Furthermore, again before the administrative court, an appeal was filed on the outcome of the first Infratel call for tenders, assigned to
Open Fiber, the fiber company of Enel and Cdp. The appeal will be discussed on the merits on 4 December. Tim had already appealed to the TAR
formulation of tenders for the construction of the fiber, but had lost in the first instance. On this front too, the company has not
surrendered and contested the rejection of the appeal by the Tar before the Council of State. Having requested the precautionary suspension, it is estimated that the appeal will be discussed in Palazzo Spada before the summer.
(updated June 29 at 9,25:XNUMXam)
