MILAN (Reuters) - Telecom Italia (MI:TLIT) (TIM) needs a solution to be found quickly over a stalling plan to merge its fibre-optic assets with those of rival Open Fiber, the chairman of the country's biggest telecoms group told an Italian newspaper.
In an interview with La Stampa daily on Wednesday, Salvatore Rossi said TIM should remain in charge of the network if the merger went through because of the need to maintain and upgrade it.
"It's important to have the investment and technological capabilities to upkeep the network and make it evolve ... this is something only Telecom Italia has in Italy," Rossi said.
He added TIM could not wait indefinitely.
"A company such as TIM, which competes on the market, cannot wait for too long. A solution must be found rapidly," he said.