Fastweb+Vodafone and TIM plan to make use of a RAN sharing mannequin to speed up 5G deployment om Italy, focusing on small cities.
In sum – what to know:
Shared rollout – Fastweb+Vodafone plan to make use of a RAN sharing mannequin to speed up 5G deployment throughout Italy, pending regulatory approvals.
Smaller cities – The venture targets cities with fewer than 35,000 inhabitants to enhance protection in low-density areas.
Ten areas – Every firm will construct and handle networks in 10 areas, avoiding infrastructure duplication.
Italian operator Fastweb+Vodafone has introduced a preliminary settlement with rival service TIM to cooperate on the event of cell entry networks in Italy utilizing a radio entry community (RAN) sharing mannequin. The initiative is designed to hurry up the rollout of 5G providers nationwide, the businesses mentioned.
The settlement, which is topic to a last contract anticipated by the second quarter of 2026, goals to make extra environment friendly use of present infrastructure within the nation whereas increasing protection, significantly in much less densely populated areas. The venture would require approval from the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT), the Italian Competitors Authority (AGCM), and the Italian Communications Authority (AGCom).
Underneath the proposed mannequin, Fastweb+Vodafone will deal with extending 5G protection to municipalities with fewer than 35,000 residents. Every operator might be accountable for community growth throughout 10 areas. By the tip of 2028, the partnership is predicted to lead to round 15,500 cell websites per operator, the companions mentioned.
The RAN sharing method will permit each firms to entry one another’s radio infrastructure within the designated areas, decreasing the necessity for duplicate deployments.
The businesses famous that this mannequin will decrease prices, and assist convey high-quality 5G providers to underserved communities.
“The collaboration mannequin, already extensively adopted in different EU nations, ensures that each firms retain full business autonomy and technological independence. It additionally reduces environmental influence and, by reducing deployment prices, frees up assets for brand spanking new investments in next-generation cell know-how,” Fastweb+Vodafone mentioned in an announcement.
Following the merger by incorporation authorized by the respective shareholders’ conferences, as of January 1, 2026, Italian operators Fastweb and Vodafone Italia have turn into a single company entity underneath the identify Fastweb S.p.A.
The mixed entity, which is able to use the Fastweb+Vodafone company model, now has 20 million cell traces and 5.8 million mounted traces. The telco operates 20,000 cell radio websites masking 87% of the Italian inhabitants with 5G, in addition to a mounted community spanning greater than 74,000 km.
The company integration course of between Fastweb and Vodafone Italia had began in January 2025, following Swisscom’s acquisition of Vodafone Italia.
In January 2023, Italian cell operators Iliad and WindTre had agreed to type a three way partnership to share community funding and working prices in rural areas of the nation.
The JV, known as Zefiro Internet, offers cell providers, together with 5G, in addition to ultra-fast broadband, masking rural areas that account for round 26.8% of Italy’s inhabitants, in accordance with earlier experiences.
