telecommunications — english language news service

02.07.2008« [telecommunications — телекоммуникация — telekommunikation]

italy — fastweb denies formation of iptv group

Italian ISP FastWeb has dismissed reports that it has joined with other main Italian IPTV operators to create an organisation to co-bid for content rights. A FastWeb spokesperson confirmed to ipTV News that the company had met with representatives of Telecom Italia, Wind and Tiscali, but this was only to discuss issues such as policy making and the regulatory situation.

Source: TeleGeography's CommsUpdate

fastweb

Fastweb SpA is an Italy-based company active in the broadband telecommunications industry. It a subsidiary of Swisscom Italia Srl. Fastweb divides its activities into four business areas: Consumer, Small Medium Enterprise, Executive and Network and Systems. The Company's core activity is the provision of telecommunication networks and services in the main metropolitan areas of Italy and in several smaller cities. Fastweb provides a range of services, including telephony, broadband Internet connectivity, advanced video-communication, virtual private networks, audio and video streaming, digital and interactive television and telesurveillance. The Company�s subsidiaries include e.BisMedia, FastWeb Finance and QXN. The Company is headquartered in Milan, Italy.

telecom italia

Telecom Italia S.p.A. is an Italy-based telecommunications group that operates in the communications sector, in the television sector using both analog and digital terrestrial technology, and in the office products sector. In the communications sector, the Company engages primarily in telephone and data services on fixed lines for final retail customers and wholesale providers, in the development of fiber optic networks for wholesale customers, in broadband services, in Internet services and in domestic and international mobile telecommunications (especially in Brazil). The Company operates mainly in Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and in South America. During the year ended December 31 2006, the Company operated in six business segments: Wireline, Domestic Mobile, Brazil Mobile, Media, Olivetti and other activities.

tiscali

Tiscali S.p.A. is a European Internet communication company providing broadband and narrowband access for consumer and business applications, as well as communications services and content. The Company's portfolio includes Internet access in the form of dial-up, broadband, satellite and leased lines, and hosting services, such as co-location, shared hosting and managed hosting. Tiscali also offers streaming media, telephony and a series of advanced services, such as virtual private networks (VPN), allowing companies to communicate with remote branches. Its consumer products and services include Internet access, voice, media and value-added services, such as e-mail, Net calendar, Net fax, Net phone, mail, instant messaging and Web hosting. As of December 31, 2006, Tiscali had 3.5 million active users in Italy and the United Kingdom. Tiscali S.p.A. is headquartered in Cagliari, Sardinia.

wind

Wind Telecomunicazioni offers competitive fixed-line, mobile, and data telecommunications services throughout Italy. The company is Italy's #3 mobile carrier, a leading ISP, and operates Internet portal, Italia On Line. In 2002 Wind's wireless operations were combined with the fixed-line services of Enel's Infostrada, creating a competitor to the incumbent Telecom Italia. Established in 1997, Wind Telecomunicazioni was a joint venture between Enel, France Telecom, and Deutsche Telekom. After Deutsche Telekom sold its stake in 2000 and France Telecom sold its stake in 2003, Enel took full ownership but has now sold Wind to Weather Investments.