Broadband battle

25 May 2016 By Neil Unmack Follow @unmack1

Utility Enel looks likely to win the bidding for fibre-optic group Metroweb, beating Telecom Italia. What follows may have shades of the twins who fought over the building of Rome. If so, Enel should be daunted, TI worried and Italian broadband users overjoyed.

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Italy’s state bank is to start exclusive talks with utility Enel over the sale of fibre-optic group Metroweb, Reuters reported on May 25, citing a source close to the matter.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has prioritized rolling out high-speed internet across the country. Enel had offered to use its domestic power network to run fibre into Italian homes and offices.

Telecom Italia had also presented an all-cash rival bid. Cassa Depositi e Prestiti owns just under half of Metroweb, and the rest is held by infrastructure fund F2i.

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