Infostrada

Infostrada was an Italian telecommunications brand focused on fixed-line voice services, dial-up and broadband Internet access, and later optical-fiber connectivity and IPTV. It was created in 1996 through a partnership between Olivetti Telemedia and Bell Atlantic to challenge Telecom Italia’s dominance in Italy’s fixed-telephone market. The venture emerged during the liberalization of European telecommunications, when new operators sought access to incumbent infrastructure and attempted to build alternative networks and service propositions. At the end of its first year, Infostrada reportedly employed approximately 430 people and generated turnover of 72 billion Italian lire. Its ownership structure changed rapidly. In 1997, Mannesmann replaced Bell Atlantic as Olivetti’s partner, with the business controlled through a jointly owned vehicle. Mannesmann’s involvement connected Infostrada to the wider European telecommunications expansion of the period and also linked it commercially to Omnitel, the Italian mobile operator associated with Mannesmann. A major infrastructure agreement was reached in 1998 with Ferrovie dello Stato. The arrangement gave Infostrada long-term access to railway infrastructure for laying telecommunications cables and rights to use a portion of the optical-fiber network operated by Rete Ferroviaria Italiana. The agreement, described as lasting 30 years, helped the company expand its backbone and compete more effectively in fixed telecommunications without relying entirely on Telecom Italia’s network. In 1999, Olivetti sold Infostrada to Mannesmann. The company subsequently passed to Enel in 2001. Enel incorporated Infostrada into Wind in 2002, while retaining the Infostrada name for fixed-line, Internet, and related consumer services. Within Wind, Infostrada complemented the Wind mobile brand. Its portfolio included fixed telephone connections, xDSL broadband, optical-fiber services, and IPTV. The business was commonly described as Wind Infostrada and functioned as the fixed-line arm of Wind Telecomunicazioni. Infostrada later operated within the ownership structure of Weather Investments and, from 2011, the VimpelCom group after VimpelCom merged with Orascom Telecom. The brand continued to be used after the creation of Wind Tre, the equal joint venture formed by CK Hutchison Holdings and VimpelCom through the combination of 3 Italy and Wind. The legal and commercial integration of the mobile businesses was completed on 31 December 2016, but Wind and Infostrada continued to appear as consumer-facing brands for several years. Wind’s fixed-line business, including the Infostrada proposition, remained an important part of the combined group’s Italian operations. At the time of the wider Wind business, the fixed-line customer base was reported at approximately 2.8 million, with a 13.2 percent market share, making the operator the country’s second-largest fixed-line provider behind Telecom Italia. These figures relate to Wind’s overall fixed-line operation rather than to a separately reported Infostrada-only customer base. Following the completion of the Wind and 3 network integration at the end of 2019, Wind Tre carried out a group-wide rebranding on 16 March 2020. The Wind, 3 Italy, and Infostrada identities were replaced or consolidated under the single Wind Tre brand for mobile and fixed-line services. Infostrada therefore survives primarily as a historical telecommunications brand rather than as an active standalone consumer operator.

Infostrada was launched in Italy in 1996 by Olivetti Telemedia and Bell Atlantic. Its creation reflected the opening of the Italian fixed-line market and the effort to introduce competition to Telecom Italia, the established national operator. The company began as a challenger in fixed telephony and developed a broader communications proposition as the market moved toward Internet access and bundled services. Infostrada’s first year was commercially significant despite its early-stage status. It employed around 430 people and reported turnover of 72 billion Italian lire. In 1997, Mannesmann replaced Bell Atlantic as the American company’s partner in the venture. The business was controlled through a joint ownership arrangement involving Olivetti and Mannesmann, placing Infostrada within the rapidly developing European telecommunications sector. In 1998, Infostrada obtained an important infrastructure advantage through an agreement with Ferrovie dello Stato. The deal provided rights to access railway infrastructure for the installation of telephone cables and to use roughly 1,770 kilometers of optical-fiber cables associated with Rete Ferroviaria Italiana. The agreement was intended to support alternative network development and reduce the company’s dependence on the incumbent fixed-line infrastructure. Olivetti sold Infostrada to Mannesmann in 1999. The business was then acquired by Enel in 2001 and incorporated into Wind in 2002. Wind continued using Infostrada as the identity for fixed-line voice, broadband Internet, optical-fiber, and IPTV services. This arrangement gave Wind a combined mobile and fixed-line proposition: Wind supplied the mobile identity, while Infostrada represented the group’s home telecommunications activity. The brand operated through subsequent changes in corporate ownership. In 2005, Wind passed under the control of Weather Investments. In 2011, Wind became part of the VimpelCom group following VimpelCom’s combination with Orascom Telecom. Infostrada remained a consumer-facing fixed-line brand within the Italian business rather than becoming an independent corporate group. The next major transition followed the agreement between VimpelCom and CK Hutchison Holdings to combine Wind and 3 Italy in an equal Italian joint venture. The merger was completed on 31 December 2016, creating Wind Tre. Although the new company combined the operators, Wind and Infostrada continued to be used for consumer services for a period, while a separate Wind Tre Business operation was formed in 2017 by combining Wind Business and 3 Business. Infostrada’s fixed-line activities were part of a wider Wind operation that reportedly served approximately 2.8 million fixed-line customers and held a 13.2 percent market share, making it Italy’s second-largest fixed-line operator behind Telecom Italia. The available reference material does not provide a separate customer or revenue breakdown for Infostrada alone. After Wind Tre completed the integration of the Wind and 3 mobile networks at the end of 2019, the company introduced a unified brand architecture on 16 March 2020. Wind Tre replaced the former Wind and 3 Italy identities and also ended the active consumer use of Infostrada for fixed-line services. Infostrada is consequently best understood as a historical Italian telecommunications sub-brand that played a substantial role in the development of competitive fixed-line and broadband services before being absorbed into Wind Tre.

• 2020

  Infostrada brand is retired

  [1]Wind Telecomunicazionien.wikipedia.org

  Wind Tre introduces a unified brand and replaces the former Infostrada identity in fixed-line communications.

• 2016

  Wind Tre is formed

  [1]Wind Telecomunicazionien.wikipedia.org

  The merger of Wind and 3 Italy is completed, creating Wind Tre, while Infostrada temporarily remains in use as a consumer fixed-line identity.

• 2011

  Wind enters the VimpelCom group

  [1]Wind Telecomunicazionien.wikipedia.org

  Wind becomes part of the VimpelCom group after the merger of VimpelCom and Orascom Telecom.

• 2002

  Integration into Wind

  [1]Wind Telecomunicazionien.wikipedia.org

  Infostrada is incorporated into Wind while retaining its role as the fixed-line and Internet brand.

• 2001

  Infostrada passes to Enel

  [1]Wind Telecomunicazionien.wikipedia.org

  Enel becomes the owner of Infostrada before its integration into Wind.

• 1999

  Mannesmann acquires Infostrada from Olivetti

  [1]Wind Telecomunicazionien.wikipedia.org

  Olivetti sells Infostrada to Mannesmann.

• 1998

  Railway infrastructure access agreement

  [1]Wind Telecomunicazionien.wikipedia.org

  Infostrada reaches an agreement with Ferrovie dello Stato covering cable installation rights and use of part of the RFI fiber network.

• 1997

  Mannesmann joins the ownership structure

  [1]Wind Telecomunicazionien.wikipedia.org

  Mannesmann replaces Bell Atlantic as Olivetti’s partner in the company controlling Infostrada.

• 1996

  Infostrada is founded

  [1]Wind Telecomunicazionien.wikipedia.org

  Olivetti Telemedia and Bell Atlantic establish Infostrada to compete with Telecom Italia in Italian fixed-line telecommunications.

A challenger fixed-line and broadband brand positioned against Telecom Italia through alternative network infrastructure, competitive residential voice and Internet services, and later bundled telecommunications offerings.

• Fixed-line telecommunications · 1996

  Infostrada fixed-line telephony

  Infostrada’s original service was fixed-line voice telephony for Italian households and businesses. It was designed as an alternative to Telecom Italia and was supported by the company’s efforts to secure independent access to cable routes and optical-fiber infrastructure.

• Broadband Internet

  Infostrada xDSL

  The brand expanded from voice services into xDSL broadband Internet access. These offerings helped position Infostrada as a broader home communications provider within Wind, combining fixed connectivity with the group’s mobile services.

• Fiber broadband

  Infostrada optical fiber

  Infostrada later offered optical-fiber connectivity as part of Wind’s fixed-line portfolio. The services were associated with the group’s development of higher-capacity broadband and its use of alternative telecommunications infrastructure.

• Internet television

  Infostrada IPTV

  IPTV was included among the fixed-line and Internet-related services associated with Infostrada. It represented the brand’s movement beyond basic telephone access toward bundled digital home services.

• 2020

  Retire the Infostrada identity under Wind TreStrategy

  Background

  Wind Tre completed integration of the Wind and 3 mobile networks and sought a single brand architecture for mobile and fixed-line services.

  Action taken

  On 16 March 2020, Wind Tre replaced the former Wind, 3 Italy, and Infostrada identities with the unified Wind Tre brand.

  Aftermath

  Infostrada ceased to operate as an active standalone consumer brand and became part of the company’s corporate and brand history.

  Source

• 2016

  Combine Wind and 3 Italy into Wind TreM&A

  Background

  VimpelCom and CK Hutchison Holdings pursued an equal joint venture to combine their Italian telecommunications businesses.

  Action taken

  Wind and 3 Italy were merged into Wind Tre on 31 December 2016.

  Aftermath

  Infostrada continued temporarily as a fixed-line consumer brand within Wind Tre before the later unified rebranding.

  Source

• 2002

  Integrate Infostrada into WindM&A

  Background

  After Enel acquired Infostrada, the business was combined with Wind’s telecommunications operations.

  Action taken

  Infostrada was incorporated into Wind while its name continued to identify fixed-line, Internet, and related services.

  Aftermath

  The integration created a combined mobile and fixed-line operating structure under Wind.

  Source

• 1998

  Secure railway infrastructure accessStrategy

  Background

  Infostrada needed network infrastructure to challenge the incumbent fixed-line operator and extend service coverage.

  Action taken

  The company signed an agreement with Ferrovie dello Stato for cable-laying access and use of part of the RFI optical-fiber network.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement strengthened Infostrada’s ability to develop an alternative fixed-line network in Italy.

  Source

1. 1Wind Telecomunicazionien.wikipedia.org