News
Greek telcos extend cooperation to fixed networks to accelerate rollout of high-speed broadband.
Wind Hellas and Vodafone Greece have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) covering the joint rollout and use of fibre broadband networks.
The telcos did not reveal how the deployment will take shape or the nature of the network-sharing arrangements, only that the MoU will help Greece achieve the EU’s Digital Agenda targets of providing 30-Mbps broadband to all citizens and 100-Mbps to 50% of citizens by 2020.
According to the European Commission’s most recent Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), Greece ranks 26th out of 28 member states when it comes to connectivity, with 30-Mbps broadband available to only 36% of homes, far below the EU average of 71%.
"As one of the largest telecommunications providers in Greece, Wind implements intensive investments in new technologies and infrastructure," said Wind Hellas CEO Nasos Zarkalis, in a statement on Monday. "Through strategic partnerships we are creating the conditions allowing these investments [to] lead to faster and more efficient development of new generation networks."
Sharing fixed networks is a logical next step for Wind Hellas and Vodafone Greece. The two held merger talks in 2011 but Vodafone walked away in 2012.
In 2013 they agreed to share mobile infrastructure.
The companies have operated a joint venture, Victus Networks, since 2014. It manages their respective radio access and transmission networks, and has implemented active 2G and 3G radio sharing in rural and select urban areas.
Then, in August 2014, Vodafone Greece entered the fixed-line market through the acquisition of a 72.7% stake in broadband provider Hellas Online. Vodafone completed the €72.7 million deal in November that year.
