Unitirreno - joint venture established by Unidata S.p.A. and the Fund Infrastructure for Growth - ESG (IPC) managed by Azimut Libera Impresa SGR S.p.A - signed a partnership agreement with Fastweb S.p.A. relating to the underwater digital infrastructure of approximately 890 kilometers which will be built in the Tyrrhenian Sea and which will connect Mazara del Vallo with Genoa, with branches towards Rome and Olbia.
The partnership establishes the purchase by Fastweb of a section of the submarine fiber network, with the option to extend the purchase to further strategic sections of the route in the near future. The participation of an important partner like Fastweb underlines the relevance of the project developed by Unitirreno and its key role in strengthening the country's connectivity infrastructure with the rest of Europe and the Mediterranean.
The prospect of the collaboration is even broader, thanks to a commercial partnership agreement, under which Fastweb will support Unitirreno in the sale of submarine fibers through its own sales channels. The partnership is also part of Fastweb's broader project - already present in the Open Hub Med consortium, the first carrier-independent and neutral technology hub in the Southern Mediterranean, and in Ge-DIX, Genoa's Internet Exchange - to connect Sicily, the natural landing point for cables from the Middle East, with the Ligurian capital, a new strategic node for access to the main European routes.
Following the obtaining of all necessary authorisations, the Unitirreno project is currently in the phase of building the Landing Stations at the landing points in Mazara del Vallo, Rome and Olbia. These facilities, designed to support low-latency applications, will be crucial in enhancing connectivity and meeting the growing needs of the market.
The laying of the submarine cable will begin in January 2025, with the goal of having the network ‘ready for service’ in June 2025. It will be the first system designed with a state-of-the-art open cable architecture, capable of guaranteeing on the Genoa - Mazara del Vallo route a total capacity of 480 Tbps distributed in 24 fiber pairs. Once completed, this project will further strengthen Italy's role as a strategic hub in the Mediterranean, with a state-of-the-art infrastructure capable of supporting the country's digital future.
“The agreement signed with Unitirreno represents a further consolidation of our strategy, aimed at expanding the availability and quality of services and infrastructures offered to all markets: this important step in the development of our network will allow us to implement new high-performance diversification solutions for all our customers. Furthermore, with the agreement with Unitirreno, we acquire a unique asset in the development of new interconnection routes between European and non-European routes, promoting the realisation of strategic digital connections and creating new economic development opportunities for the country” - said Fabrizio Casati, Fastweb's Chief Wholesale Officer.
“The goal we have set ourselves with Unitirreno is to transform Italy into a truly strategic connectivity hub in the Mediterranean, and the collaboration with a major partner like Fastweb, which shares our vision and commitment to the development of the country's digital infrastructure, is an important step towards that goal. Unitirreno Submarine Cable System is not only an answer to the need for advanced connectivity, but an investment in Italy's digital future, aimed at guaranteeing a cutting-edge network capable of creating new economic and technological opportunities at national level” - commented Andrea Cornetti, Chairman of Unitirreno and Managing Director Real Estate and Infrastructures of Azimut Libera Impresa SGR.
Renato Brunetti, CEO of Unitirreno and Chairman and CEO of Unidata, commented on the operation: “The agreement with Fastweb represents an important step for the Unitirreno project. It is a strategic collaboration that ensures the use of our infrastructure by a market leader such as Fastweb, and opens the door to a significant commercial relationship that will strengthen our offering in the wholesale market. This project confirms our commitment to transform Italy into a digital hub of the Mediterranean, thanks to a state-of-the-art connectivity network that we can define as a real digital corridor to Africa, the Middle East and the Far East. We are confident that the market understands the efforts undertaken in recent years and the substantial value of this submarine digital infrastructure”.