The Italian telecoms regulator Agcom is calling for more powers to enable it to force Telecom Italia to split its network and retail operations to ensure equal access for all players. The regulator wants to push ahead with the so-called ‘functional separation’ before the end of the year, but management changes at the telco have led to delays in the process. Though Agcom had planned to achieve the separation by reaching an agreement with Telecom Italia, new legislation currently passing through the Italian parliament could give the regulator the power to order the operator to go ahead regardless of whether an agreement has been reached or not.
Following a meeting with EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding, Agcom’s chairman Corrado Calabro said: ‘We’ll do whatever we can to respect our commitment and meet the deadline. But if the new law that grants us more power won’t be approved by year-end, an agreement would depend only on Telecom Italia goodwill,’ MarketWatch reported.