Telecom Italia has confirmed that it has carried out trials of Full Duplex Relay technology from Kumu Networks which can double the transmission capacity of LTE 4G mobile networks. The technology, which has been tested in a live environment in the Turin area, uses a smart repeater to transmit and receive a mobile signal on the same frequency, thereby improving the efficiency of the spectrum. Telecom Italia offers services under the TIM brand and is Italy’s largest cellular operator by subscribers, with around 35% of the Italian mobile market at the end of September, according to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database.
Separately, a consortium comprising Spain’s Cellnex and Italian infrastructure fund F2i is reported to be the front-runner to buy 45% of Telecom Italia’s communications tower company Inwit. A report from Reuters, which cites ‘two sources close to the matter’, says the Cellnex-F2i offer is valued at between EUR4.35 (USD4.93) and EUR4.50 per share, slightly lower than Inwit’s current share price of EUR4.55. Offers have also been received from EI Towers and American Tower, sources say. Telecom Italia listed 40% of Inwit’s shares last year and is now looking to offload a further stake in order to raise funds to reduce its debts.