Telecom Italia (TIM) could receive an additional payment of up to €2.5 billion if a commercial tie-up between Italian telecom network operators FiberCop and Open Fiber is completed by the end of 2026, according to TIM Chief Executive Pietro Labriola. The potential payment is part of the agreement under which TIM sold FiberCop to a KKR-led consortium in 2024 in a deal valued at €19 billion, aimed at reducing the company’s heavy debt burden.
The owners of FiberCop and Open Fiber are currently discussing the terms of a possible commercial partnership to accelerate Italy’s high-speed broadband rollout. Reuters had previously reported that the talks could pave the way for greater cooperation between the two infrastructure operators as Italy pushes to expand nationwide fibre connectivity.
Speaking during a post-earnings analyst call on Thursday, Labriola said a full merger between the two companies may be difficult to finalize before the December 2026 deadline. However, he noted that even a commercial agreement could trigger significant benefits for TIM. “If they sign a commercial agreement, TIM will get up to 75% of the synergies FiberCop generates from that deal,” Labriola said.
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