Jump to content

Fastweb (telecommunications company)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fastweb S.p.A.[1]
Company typeSubsidiary
BIT: FWB (delisted)
ISINIT0001423562
IndustryTelecommunications
FoundedSeptember 1999; 25 years ago (1999-09)
Founder
Headquarters
Milan
,
Italy
Area served
Italy
Key people
ServicesFixed and mobile telephony, Broadband Internet, IPTV
OwnerSwisscom
Number of employees
3417
ParentFastweb + Vodafone
Websitewww.fastweb.it

Fastweb is an Italian telecommunications company that provides fixed and mobile telephony, broadband Internet and IPTV services. It is also one of the prominent companies in Italy providing FTTH connections, and it is part of Fastweb + Vodafone, as a subsidiary of Swiss telecommunications group Swisscom.[2][3]

In May 2007, Swisscom paid 3 billion euros for 82.4% of Fastweb. Swisscom subsequently bought out the minority shareholders after making a voluntary tender offer in September 2010. Therefore, Fastweb has been delisted from Borsa Italiana.

On December 31, 2024, Swisscom acquired Vodafone Italy with the goal of merging it with Fastweb to create Fastweb + Vodafone.[4]

History

[edit]

Founding

[edit]

Fastweb was founded in 1999 in Milan as a joint venture between e.Biscom (founded by Silvio Scaglia, Francesco Micheli, and Ruggero Gramatica) and AEM, with the intention of developing a fiber-optic network and IP services in Italy.

In March 2000, e.Biscom went public on the Italian New Market Stock Exchange to expand and finance their fiber-optic network in major Italian cities.[5] e.Biscom soon became the first operator in the world to use full IP technology and bring fiber-optic networks to cities, and launched home telecommunication services.[6] In 2002, fiber-optic cabling was completed in Milan, and Fastweb consolidated its presence in Rome, Genoa, Turin, Naples, and Bologna.

Merger with e.Biscom

[edit]

e.Biscom announced a possible merger with Fastweb in early 2004, and the merger was finalized by the end of April.[7] The company took on Fastweb's name, and focused on its core business, creating broadband telecommunications on the Italian landline network.[8]

Expansion and technological achievements

[edit]

By 2006, Fastweb's broadband network had expanded to cover about 45 percent of Italy's population, and later that year, Fastweb won both a Consip and a Centro Nazionale per l'Informatica nella Pubblica Amministrazione (CNIPA) tender for the Public Connectivity System (SPC) becoming a supplier to relevant public authorities.[9]

Swisscom acquisition

[edit]

By 2006, Fastweb was Italy's leading alternative broadband telecommunications provider, boasting over one million customers and an annual revenue of €1.26 billion. In early 2007, Fastweb was bought by Swisscom, a major Swiss telecommunications provider, to strengthen new technologies and multimedia for Swisscom, while increasing cash flow and revenue.[6]

Expansion under Swisscom

[edit]

In 2008, Fastweb launched connections of up to 100 Mbit/s for small and medium enterprises in areas served by its fiber-optic network, making this connectivity speed available in Italy for the first time. Over the next year, Fastweb signed an agreement with Telecom Italia to promote the development of fiber-optic next-generation networks (NGN) by sharing infrastructure.[9]

Fastweb worked to continue expanding faster service, and in 2010, their Fibra 100 service became available to residential consumers, and two million homes and businesses had the ability to use the Internet at 100 Mbit/s for the first time in Italy.[9]

In 2015, Fastweb signed an agreement with Telecom Italia to become a full mobile virtual network operator (Full MVNO) to ensure better quality and coverage, including access to 4G and 4G+.[9]

After continuing to grow, in 2018 Fastweb acquired Tiscali's fixed-wireless business, including full ownership of Tiscali's 5G, 3.5 GHz spectrum, in a deal worth approximately $176 million.[10]

Acquisition of Vodafone Italia

[edit]

On March 15, 2024, Swisscom signed a binding purchase proposal to acquire 100% of Vodafone Italia for €8 billion, with the goal of merging it with Fastweb. The transaction is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2025. As part of the agreement, Vodafone will continue to provide certain services to Fastweb, as well as grant the use of its brand for a maximum period of five years.[11][12][13][14][15]

On April 3, 2024, Fastweb also entered the electricity market.[16]

In September 2024, the Antitrust Authority published a notice of investigation[17] and launched an inquiry.[18] Swisscom announced that the European Commission had approved the acquisition of Vodafone Italia under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation.[19] The transaction was also approved by AGCOM and AGCM in November and December 2024, respectively.[20][21]

On December 31, 2024, Swisscom, through Fastweb, completed the acquisition of Vodafone Italia, giving rise to Fastweb + Vodafone.[22][23][24]

Network and services

[edit]

Since its founding Fastweb has invested over €5 billion in a next-generation fiber-optic network spanning more than 32,000 km (20,000 mi). By implementing the Internet Protocol on its alternative fiber-optic network, Fastweb provides a Triple-Play Offer of landline, internet and television services, available simultaneously on a single connection, for residential and business clients.

In September 2010 and for the first time in Italy, Fastweb launched a broadband connection up to 100 Mbit/s for residential customers and small enterprises in the cities of Milan, Rome, Genoa, Turin, Bologna, Naples and Bari.

In September 2008, Fastweb became also a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) and launched its mobile voice and data service (Quadruple Play).

In July 2019 became the fifth mobile network operator in Italy by obtaining the license to operate on 5G network.[25]

Today, business customers account for 60% of the total revenue. On the government market, Fastweb became the main supplier of fixed network telephone and data services to central public agencies.

Company structure

[edit]

Source:[26]

Major shareholders

Major holdings

  • Fastweb Air S.r.l. (100%)
  • QXN S.c.p.A. (60%)
  • Flash Fiber S.r.l. (20%)
  • Open Hub Med S.c.a.r.l. (11%)

See also

[edit]

Other sources

[edit]
  • "Fastweb SPA - Towards Real Energy-efficient Network Design". www.fp7-trend.eu. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  • "Swisscom intends to acquire Fastweb, the successful broadband operator in Italy - Swisscom". www.swisscom.ch. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  • "eBiscom and FastWeb to Merge?". Light Reading. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  • "eBiscom, FastWeb Merger Approved". Light Reading. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  • "Fastweb - History and Innovation". Fastweb.it. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  • "Eurobites: Fastweb Buys Tiscali's Fixed-Wireless Biz, 5G Spectrum". Light Reading. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  • Meichtry, Stacy (13 September 2010). "Italy's Fastweb Joins Rivals as Broadband Prices Fall". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 4 March 2019 – via www.wsj.com.
  • Zega, Roxana (6 May 2015). "Swisscom Intends to Keep Italian Fastweb Business, CEO Says". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  • "Quotazioni, Azioni, Obbligazioni, ETF, Fondi, Indici - Borsa Italiana" (PDF). www.borsaitaliana.it. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  • "Fastweb to deepen Vodafone ties". Financial Times. 14 January 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  • "Italy's FastWeb deploys networked personal video recording solution over its nationwide FTTH network". 24 June 2002.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "FASTWEB SPA, Partita IVA: 12878470157, Fatturato, Dipendenti, PEC". www.ufficiocamerale.it. Retrieved 2025-02-02.
  2. ^ "Company Profile". FASTWEB Company Information. Retrieved 2017-04-29.
  3. ^ "The Group Structure". FASTWEB Company Information. Retrieved 2017-04-29.
  4. ^ "Fastweb + Vodafone | Swisscom completes the acquisition of Vodafone Italia. Fastweb + Vodafone is born". fastwebvodafone.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-01-02.
  5. ^ "Fastweb SPA | Towards Real Energy-efficient Network Design". www.fp7-trend.eu. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
  6. ^ a b "Swisscom intends to acquire Fastweb, the successful broadband operator in Italy | Swisscom". www.swisscom.ch. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
  7. ^ "eBiscom and FastWeb to Merge? | Light Reading". Light Reading. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
  8. ^ "eBiscom, FastWeb Merger Approved | Light Reading". Light Reading. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
  9. ^ a b c d "Fastweb - History and Innovation". Fastweb.it. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
  10. ^ "Eurobites: Fastweb Buys Tiscali's Fixed-Wireless Biz, 5G Spectrum | Light Reading". Light Reading. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
  11. ^ Biondi, Andrea (2024-03-15). "Swisscom acquisisce Vodafone Italia, via all'unione con Fastweb". Il Sole 24 ORE (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-02-06.
  12. ^ "Il marchio Vodafone sparirà in Italia tra cinque anni (al massimo): l'accordo con Fastweb per 8 miliardi". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). 2024-03-15. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
  13. ^ "Vodafone-Fastweb, c'è il sì alle nozze: Swisscom compra le attività italiane del colosso britannico per 8 miliardi". la Repubblica (in Italian). 2024-03-15. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
  14. ^ Finanza, MF Milano (2024-03-15). "Tlc, parte il risiko. Swisscom compra Vodafone Italia per 8 miliardi e prepara la fusione con Fastweb. Tutti i dettagli | MilanoFinanza News". MF Milano Finanza (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-02-06.
  15. ^ "Swisscom acquisisce Vodafone Italia per creare, attraverso la combinazione con Fastweb, un operatore convergente leader nel Paese". Fastweb.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-02-06.
  16. ^ "Fastweb entra nel mercato dell'energia elettrica con una bolletta «fissa»: obiettivo 100 mila clienti". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
  17. ^ Nicolosi, Simone (2024-09-17). "Fusione Fastweb Vodafone Italia: Antitrust pubblica il provvedimento di avvio istruttoria". MondoMobileWeb.it | News | Telefonia | Offerte (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-02-06.
  18. ^ Nicolosi, Simone (2024-09-17). "Fusione Fastweb Vodafone Italia, indagine Antitrust: i dubbi dei competitor e l'analisi AGCM". MondoMobileWeb.it | News | Telefonia | Offerte (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-02-06.
  19. ^ Nicolosi, Simone (2024-09-24). "Fusione Fastweb Vodafone Italia: Swisscom ottiene il via libera dalla Commissione UE". MondoMobileWeb.it | News | Telefonia | Offerte (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-02-06.
  20. ^ Castro, Mattia (2024-11-13). "Swisscom, acquisizione di Vodafone Italia: AGCOM autorizza la transazione". MondoMobileWeb.it | News | Telefonia | Offerte (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-02-06.
  21. ^ Stampa, Sala (2024-12-20). "Fusione Fastweb Vodafone Italia: Swisscom ottiene ok dell'Antitrust italiana e del MIMIT". MondoMobileWeb.it | News | Telefonia | Offerte (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-02-06.
  22. ^ Stampa, Sala (2025-01-02). "Fastweb + Vodafone è nata. Swisscom completa l'acquisizione di Vodafone Italia". MondoMobileWeb.it | News | Telefonia | Offerte (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-02-06.
  23. ^ TG24, Sky (2025-01-02). "Swisscom completa l'acquisizione di Vodafone Italia". tg24.sky.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-02-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ Biondi, Andrea (2025-01-02). "Al via Fastweb + Vodafone: Swisscom completa l'acquisizione di Vodafone Italia". Il Sole 24 ORE (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-02-06.
  25. ^ "fastweb diventa il quinto operatore italiano". Fastweb.it.
  26. ^ "Fastweb - Governance". www.fastweb.it. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fastweb.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fastweb_(telecommunications_company)&oldid=1275506041"