Brussels – We are glad to announce that Fastweb joined our association this week. Fastweb is the largest alternative fixed-line telecommunications provider in Italy, offering ultra-fast fibre optic-based broadband, and is the country’s second biggest mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). Fastweb’s membership adds a new innovative and growing player to MVNO Europe, which will help us support fair competition and market access for the European Single Telecom Market.
Fastweb has been the first telecommunications provider in the world to build a next-generation full-IP network and the first company to offer all market segments its voice and data services and a series of value-added applications, leveraging on its infrastructure. In line with its history, Fastweb has decided to further extend its fibre optic infrastructure and, as of 2016, will reach 30% of the Italian population with its ultra-fast broadband.
Offering converging communications services is a core aspect of Fastweb’s strategy. Since it has signed a MVNO agreement with 3 Italia, the company is developing its own mobile offer and services, and has become the second biggest MVNO in Italy. Fastweb sustains a data-focused mobile strategy, supporting Italy as one of the first country in the world for smartphone usage: its mobile plans all include 5GB of mobile data, enabling all consumers to make the most of their devices.
On top of its mobile network access, Fastweb provides its customers with thousands of WiFi hotspots over the country, having launched a unique community WiFi solution in Italy, leveraging on its powerful broadband network. WOW–Fi is already active in 19 cities in Italy and is growing, contributing to Fastweb’s continuous growth in revenues and customers in 2015.
Jacques Bonifay, chairman of MVNO Europe, said: “It is a pleasure for us to welcome Fastweb, a company that demonstrates the relevance of the MVNO model in the Quad-Play age, offering an all-in connectivity solution with its cutting-edge fibre technology. We have been quickly growing this year, supporting our work to achieve a truly competitive Single Telecom Market in Europe, for the benefit of consumers and businesses”.
About MVNO Europe
MVNO Europe (previously European Association of Full-MVNOs) was created in 2012 to represent the interests of mobile virtual network operators active on European markets and which are independent from established mobile network operators. Members includes Cubic Telecom, Cyta Hellas, EI Telecom, Fastweb, Liberty Global, PosteMobile, Telenet, Transatel and Voiceworks.