Fastweb+Vodafone and TIM plan to use a RAN sharing model to accelerate 5G deployment om Italy, targeting small towns.
In sum – what to know:
Shared rollout – Fastweb+Vodafone plan to use a RAN sharing model to accelerate 5G deployment across Italy, pending regulatory approvals.
Smaller towns – The project targets towns with fewer than 35,000 inhabitants to improve coverage in low-density areas.
Ten regions – Each company will build and manage networks in 10 regions, avoiding infrastructure duplication.
Italian operator Fastweb+Vodafone has announced a preliminary agreement with rival carrier TIM to cooperate on the development of mobile access networks in Italy using a radio access network (RAN) sharing model. The initiative is designed to speed up the rollout of 5G services nationwide, the companies said.
The agreement, which is subject to a final contract expected by the second quarter of 2026, aims to make more efficient use of existing infrastructure in the country while expanding coverage, particularly in less densely populated areas. The project will require approval from the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT), the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM), and the Italian Communications Authority (AGCom).
Under the proposed model, Fastweb+Vodafone will focus on extending 5G coverage to municipalities with fewer than 35,000 residents. Each operator will be responsible for network development across 10 regions. By the end of 2028, the partnership is expected to result in around 15,500 mobile sites per operator, the partners said.
The RAN sharing approach will allow both companies to access each other’s radio infrastructure in the designated areas, reducing the need for duplicate deployments.
The companies noted that this model will lower costs, and help bring high-quality 5G services to underserved communities.
“The collaboration model, already widely adopted in other EU countries, ensures that both companies retain full commercial autonomy and technological independence. It also reduces environmental impact and, by lowering deployment costs, frees up resources for new investments in next-generation mobile technology,” Fastweb+Vodafone said in a statement.
Following the merger by incorporation approved by the respective shareholders’ meetings, as of January 1, 2026, Italian operators Fastweb and Vodafone Italia have become a single corporate entity under the name Fastweb S.p.A.
The combined entity, which will use the Fastweb+Vodafone corporate brand, now has 20 million mobile lines and 5.8 million fixed lines. The telco operates 20,000 mobile radio sites covering 87% of the Italian population with 5G, as well as a fixed network spanning more than 74,000 km.
The corporate integration process between Fastweb and Vodafone Italia had started in January 2025, following Swisscom’s acquisition of Vodafone Italia.
In January 2023, Italian mobile operators Iliad and WindTre had agreed to form a joint venture to share network investment and operating costs in rural areas of the country.
The JV, called Zefiro Net, provides mobile services, including 5G, as well as ultra-fast broadband, covering rural areas that account for around 26.8% of Italy’s population, according to previous reports.
