ROME (MF-Dow Jones)--The country's telecoms regulator Tuesday welcomed a Telecom Italia SpA (NYSE:TI) (TI) plan to improve the access of alternative operators to its fixed-line network through a series of measures.
"It's a good starting point," Corrado Calabro, head of regulator Agcom, told reporters on the sidelines of a conference. "We'll evaluate it tomorrow" in a meeting with Telecom Italia's (NYSE:TI) management, he added.
Telecom Italia (NYSE:TI) this month presented a plan that includes a new process of activation for wholesale customer services; management that guarantees complete equality of treatment to competitors; transparency of information on the quality and the development of the access network; and the creation of a new body to implement the measures.
In a move that was strongly encouraged by Agcom, Telecom Italia (NYSE:TI) in February created a new unit called Open Access for its network operations to boost efficiency, cut costs and ensure rivals get easier access.
Monday, Telecom Italia (NYSE:TI) and Fastweb SpA (Milan:FWB) (FWB.MI) said they had reached an agreement to cooperate in building a new generation network in Italy with enhanced broadband capacity.
-By Carmine Sarno, MF-DJ, and Luca Di Leo, Dow Jones Newswires; +39 06 4227 2070; luca.dileo@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires 06-24-08 0534 Copyright (c) 2008 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
