The European Investment Bank (EIB) has approved a financing package of up to €1 billion for FiberCop, Italy’s leading digital infrastructure company, to expand and modernize the national ultrafast broadband network. The first tranche of €500 million was signed in Rome by EIB Vice‑President Gelsomina Vigliotti and FiberCop Chairman and CEO Massimo Sarmi, backed by a guarantee from the InvestEU programme.
Vice‑President Vigliotti emphasized that investing in high‑capacity digital networks will strengthen Italy’s competitiveness, reduce the digital divide, and support EU digitalization targets. The financing will help FiberCop expand its Fibre‑to‑the‑Home (FTTH) grid to connect an additional 5.8 million property units, reaching 20.3 million by the end of 2027. Around 40% of the investments will be directed to southern Italy’s special economic zones, where connectivity gaps are most severe.
CEO Massimo Sarmi noted that the loan confirms the credibility of FiberCop’s strategy and strengthens its role as a neutral infrastructure provider enabling fair access for all operators. The project will deliver advanced FTTH fibre services offering speeds of up to 10 Gbps in areas currently lacking high‑capacity networks, directly supporting Italy’s Ultrafast Broadband Strategy and gigabit connectivity goals.
The EIB Group, as the EU’s financing arm, signed €100 billion in new financing in 2025 across projects aligned with EU priorities such as climate action, digitalization, and territorial cohesion. Its subsidiary, the European Investment Fund (EIF), supports SMEs and startups through guarantees and equity investments. InvestEU, which underpins this financing, consolidates EU financial instruments under one framework to mobilize at least €372 billion in additional investment.
FiberCop currently manages Italy’s most extensive digital grid, with 28 million kilometers of fibre optic cables, 10,500 exchanges, and over 160,000 street cabinets. Its shareholding includes international investors such as KKR Infrastructure, CPP Investments, Adia, Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance, and F2i. The company operates as a wholesale‑only provider, ensuring neutral and sustainable access conditions for telecom operators while advancing Italy’s digital development.
