TIM MOBILE NETWORK - 5G EXPANSION

Promoter – Financial Intermediary

TELECOM ITALIA SPA

Location

• Italy

Description

The project will finance the promoter's investments to accelerate the rollout of the 5G mobile network for the years 2022 to 2025.

Additionality and Impact

The Project contributes to the Public Policy Goal Innovation, Digital and Human Capital - Digital Infrastructure and horizontal objective Economic and Social Cohesion. The Project supports the development of the promoter's mobile infrastructure to provide advanced 5G services. The Project will increase the quality and capacity of the Promoter's mobile network, enabling the provisioning of advanced mobile broadband services. The Project therefore supports the target of the Digital Compass to cover all populated areas with 5G by 2030.

 

The Project will lead to the deployment of innovative and secure telecommunication technologies and thus generate positive network externalities by enabling more users to benefit from improved and safe access to ultrafast broadband services and thus information, digital services and better communication. The Project also generates further externalities to other sectors of the economy by supporting innovation and competitiveness. This will lead to economic returns to society that exceed those to the private investor.

In terms of the EIB contribution, the proposed operation satisfactorily meets the required funding needs of the Promoter as it provides for the necessary flexibility in terms of long tenor and repayment profile, together with a sizeable financing volume. The EIB funding is expected to improve the Promoter's financial profile by diversifying its funding base. Moreover, the proposed loan from the EIB, a stable anchor financier, is an important signal towards the company's current and potential new financing partners. 

Objectives

The aim is to increase the 5G network coverage, having 50% of the population making use of the now available 700 MHz band. Furthermore, new technology evolutions will result into an even higher network performance, lower latencies and enable fixing wireless solutions to provide coverage in areas with poor fixed line.

Sector(s)

• Telecom - Information and communication

Proposed EIB finance (Approximate amount)

EUR 360 million

Total cost (Approximate amount)

EUR 727 million

Environmental aspects

The installation of mobile telecommunication networks are likely not falling under Annex I and II of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive 2011/92/EU amended by the Directive 2014/52/EU. In many cases the new equipment will be installed at existing sites. here are no particular negative residual environmental impact expected.

Procurement

The promoter is a private company not operating in the Utilities sector and not having the status of a contracting authority. Therefore it is not covered by EU Directives on public procurement.

Status

Signed - 5/05/2023