Telecom Italia on Tuesday announced a new subscriber retention move: free insurance for longtime landline customers.

The Italian incumbent has partnered with insurance firm BNP Paribas Cardif to create TIM Protezione Casa, a home insurance product. Customers who have taken a landline service from Telecom Italia for 10 years or more will be offered a free one-year policy.

The package will be offered to customers whose fixed-line contract dates back to before 1 January 2006, Telecom Italia said, noting that 6 million customers will be eligible for the offer. These customers will be automatically signed up for the deal and will be sent policy information along with their bill.

"With this initiative, Telecom Italia wants to come even closer to customers who have shown their loyalty to the company brand, offering them telephone, Internet and multimedia entertainment services as well as value solutions aimed at improving quality of life in the home and dealing with any unforeseen events more confidently," Telecom Italia said in a statement.

Telecom Italiajoined partnership with insurance firm BNP Paribas Cardifto offer longtime landline customers a free one-year policy

The company is working hard to reposition itself as a quad-play provider.

In February it announced plans to migrate its fixed-line and Internet services to the TIM brand, doubtless with a view to offering converged services. It has continued in that vein by launching its home insurance product under the TIM umbrella.

In addition, the telco launched an IPTV service in conjunction with Sky, branded as TIM Sky. This enabled it to start selling its first quad-play offers, with package prices starting at €39 per month (rising to €58.90 after the first year) for fixed and mobile telephony, ADSL Internet and TV.

Total Telecom