Private Sector of Italian Telecommunications Begins to Take Shape

The Italian telecommunications market is profitable and expanding. A number of proposed laws - discussed in separate entries on this data base - will eventually create a liberalized market in Italy, no longer dominated by a State monopoly, and open to private competition. Proposed legislation complies with European Union Law and schedules the complete opening of the market (including voice transmission services) for January 1, 1998, although the Antitrust Authority has suggested that this may be moved up to January 1, 1997. As we discuss in a separate entry, other telecommunication services, such as data transmission and closed system voice transmission, have already been liberalized by the Presidential Decree of September 4, 1995, no.420.