The Italian incumbent announced its partnership with satellite TV specialist Sky just over a year ago and its customers are now able to sign up to the joint service, which is branded as TIM Sky.

"Today, in Italy, with Sky, we are starting a new collaboration model between telco and media companies that allows us to go to the market with a fully convergent offer," said Telecom Italia CEO Marco Patuano.

"We are particularly pleased with this partnership as it allows our customers to access exclusive and high quality content thanks to Telecom Italia's technological expertise and Sky's editorial richness," he added.

Quad-play packages - comprising fixed and mobile telephony, ADSL Internet and TV – start at €39 per month, rising to €58.90 after the first year. A triple-play service with a fibre connection of up to 30 Mbps also costs €39 per month (€64.80 after the first year), but there is as yet no option to combine fibre broadband with a mobile service. Existing customers will be able to add TIM Sky for €14 per month, rising to €19.90 after the first year.

TIM Sky is available to Telecom Italia's fibre broadband customers and ADSL users with a 20 Mbps connection (Source: Broadbandtvnews.com).

The TV element of the service will equal that available by satellite, Telecom Italia said, with 150-plus channels, Sky On Demand, and Sky's Restart service, that enables viewers to watch a movie from the beginning even if it has already started when they tune in. The ability to record programmes and pause live TV will be added this summer.

In addition to giving Telecom Italia a route into the quad-play market, the partnership is also important for Sky, enabling it to reach customers in areas where satellite dishes cannot be installed – Italy's historic city centres, for example.

"From now on Telecom Italia's fibre will bring all the richness of content and the excellence of Sky's viewing experience...into the houses of millions of Italian families who, for various reasons, could not install a dish," said Sky Italia CEO Andrea Zappia.

"Sky is currently present on all the main distribution platforms and this agreement does carry a strong strategic value for us as it broadens Sky's commercial prospects base," he added. "To understand its importance just think that in the U.K. almost 20% of households enjoy a pay TV offer through cable or broadband."

Total Telecom