Telecom Italia (TIM) CEO Pietro Labriola expressed support on Thursday for potential consolidation in Italy’s telecom market, even if competitors take the lead. Labriola emphasized that any move toward market consolidation would help create a more balanced and rational telecom sector in the country.

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CEO Comments on Market Consolidation

Speaking during a post-results call, Labriola said:

“We welcome any kind of market consolidation that will make the market more balanced and rational.”

He added:

“Whoever it is that proceeds with the market consolidation in Italy will be a good sign for us.”

Labriola’s comments come amid ongoing discussions in the Italian telecom sector about mergers and acquisitions among operators.

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Potential Market Impact

A consolidation deal could reduce the number of mobile operators in Italy from four to three, simplifying one of Europe’s most competitive telecom markets. This move could have implications for pricing, service offerings, and infrastructure investments across the country.

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Previous Attempts at Telecom Mergers in Italy

French telecom group Iliad, which entered Italy’s market in 2018, previously attempted to merge its operations with other major players:

• Iliad sought to combine with Vodafone Italy, but negotiations failed in 2024.
• Vodafone ultimately sold its Italian operations to Swisscom’s Fastweb.

These past attempts illustrate the complexity of consolidation in Italy, influenced by regulatory hurdles and government involvement in state-backed TIM.

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Outlook for Italy’s Telecom Sector

Industry experts suggest that market consolidation could strengthen network investments, enhance 5G rollout, and improve competitiveness against other European operators. TIM’s CEO indicated that the company would welcome any such development, underscoring the potential for strategic partnerships to reshape the Italian telecom landscape.